Resurgence

by Stephen A. Fender

  Mia's smile instantly returned. "As long as I get paid, no me importa."

  "Don’t care about what, exactly?" a voice called out from behind her. The trio noticed Alasdair walking down the cargo ramp toward them. When he caught sight of the bubbling cargo, he stopped dead in his tracks and gave the frothy, pink mass a curious look. "I feel I’ve missed something here. Anyone care to fill me in?"

  "Fragnorian cytoplasm," Mia exalted. "Isn't it great?"

  "Huh." Alasdair searched his memory. He'd heard the name, but couldn't dismiss a feeling of dread as the color of the material changed to a milky pink. "It's supposed to do that, right?"

  "Uh-huh," Mia beamed. "That means it likes you… a lot."

  "A perfect couple if I ever saw one," Thad offered.

  "Two peas in a pod," Quinn agreed with a toothy grin. "Or, more to the point, two slimes in a bucket."

  "Very funny," Alasdair deadpanned. "Is there… anymore?"

  Mia nodded. "A few more cylinders to get onboard."

  "And the Captain?"

  Mia looked at him curiously. "I thought she was onboard as well."

  "Yes, she is. I mean, I know where she is."

  Mia offered a mock pout. "Aww. Trouble ‘n paradise, govna?"

  Alasdair ignored her heavily accented condescension. "No. And I was asking if the captain was aware of the cargo you've…" he waved a hand at the ooze as if doing so would make it go away. "Obtained?"

  Mia shrugged. "Not that I'm aware of."

  Alasdair nodded slowly. "Good. That's good. It's all… very good."

  Mia narrowed her eyes. "But you're going to tell her?"

  "I don't see any reason to bother the captain about this right now, Mia. She's got her mind on far more important things." He smiled, then patted the bubbling mass. "In fact, I don't think anyone needs to mention anything about this to the captain at all. If she asks, just tell her to come and find me. I'll let her inspect the vats personally."

  "You sure about that?" Quinn asked.

  "Oh, I'm quite sure." Alasdair beamed. "She'll be delighted. I know it. Go ahead and make sure the rest of the cargo is loaded." The pink goo bubbled loudly, creating a rippling sound that echoed across the tarmac and drew the party's eyes. Scowling once more at the cargo, Alasdair turned and walked back into the Cobalt Rose.

  Chapter 12

  Leaning forward in the pilot’s seat, Kristin was entering the final equations into the Rose’s navigational computer when the doors behind her slid open with a pop-hiss cacophony. Too absorbed in her work, she didn’t bother to acknowledge who it was before speaking. “Is everything ready?” The question was relevant, regardless of who the interloper was.

  “Almost,” Alasdair replied as he examined the backup engineering computer behind the pilot’s seat. “Mia is storing the last of the cargo now.” When Kristin harrumphed her response, he sighed heavily. She was undoubtedly still upset over their previous encounter, and in the best interest of crew morale, he wanted to try and make things right. “Look, Kristin, I wanted to apologize about earlier.”

  “It’s Captain, Alasdair, not ‘Kristin’… and certainly not ‘love’,” she corrected, then exhaled slowly, though not as heavily as Alasdair had. “Sorry,” she added as she looked over her shoulder. When he didn’t respond, she pivoted her chair to face him. “I really am.” They locked eyes and exchanged weak smiles before nodding at once another. “Ships status?”

  “Quinn has the drive engine computer adjusted to what he says is optimal.”

  “He’s really got a way with computers, doesn’t he?”

  “He better. He was trained by the best.”

  “What do you mean?”

  “I took the liberty of looking into his record before we left Arbrer. Before he went freelance, he was working with the Office of Special Investigation’s counterintelligence division.”

  She was taken aback in surprise. “Quinn was working with the Unified government?”

  Alasdair was still busying himself with checking on the ships internal systems. “Yep. OSI Black Ops type stuff. Very classified.”

  “That’s a pretty important position. Why did he go rogue?”

  Alasdair shrugged. “You’ll have to ask him yourself. It’s not in the files anywhere.”

  Kristin entered a final equation into her own terminal. “You admire him.”

  “As a fellow intelligence operative, even a former one, I’m beginning to understand him; I just don’t trust him. There’s a difference.”

  “You really think he’d sabotage his own ship?”

  “If it suited his purpose.” He then turned to look back towards the rear of the ship. “I wouldn’t put it past any of them, actually.”

  “Then why put all these criminals onboard?”

  “That was Governor Riddle’s call, not mine. Remember? And, as far as I can tell, Mia wasn’t part of that initial plan.”

  “And that goes for me, too, I presume.”

  “Meaning?”

  “I’m no more or less a criminal than they are, as far as you’re concerned anyway. Right? I mean, you must know that I was dismissed from the Trade Guild because of what happened… what I did?”

  Alasdair eyed her cautiously, then offered a disarming smile. “I’m not one to disagree with my captain, even when I think she’s wrong.”

  “Actually, that’s the job of any good first officer.”

  “I’ll keep that in mind.”

  “Your problem is that you need to be more tactful about it.”

  “That’s something I’ve never had quite a grip on, love.” He smiled, then corrected himself. “Captain.” Moving to the environmental controls behind the copilot’s seat, Alasdair inspected the oxygen level sensor for no particular reason. “Thad’s looked over the offensive and defensive systems. He has some suggestions about improving efficiency on both, but he assures me that we’ll be able to take care of ourselves if the need arises.”

  “Another man with a mysterious past, I take it?”

  “About the same, actually. I’ve had the displeasure of having dealt with a few messes he’d left behind.”

  “Messes?”

  “Thad’s something of a vigilante for hire. He’s been linked to more than a few murders in this sector, mostly against some of the less savory members of society. I understand that’s why law enforcement isn’t too keen on tracking him down, though I’ve tried a few times myself. But, it does mean he’s both dangerous and unpredictable. I’d avoid getting on his bad side if I were you. He has a personal code, one he holds in high esteem, though I admit I have no idea what that is.”

  “Maybe you’ll get your chance to clear that up with him onboard?”

  “The only thing I’m looking forward to is getting my badge back. If I’m lucky, I’ll be able to arrest the lot of them before they have a chance to slip back into the darkness they crawled out of.”

  Kristin could see the merits of that plan, but that was the future, and there were important things to address in the present. “Well, regardless, we’re a cargo ship, and not supposed to be caring weaponry. I understood they were to be undetectable. What’s your assessment of that?”

  Alasdair tapped at the atmospheric pressure gauge. It moved up slightly before returning to its previous reading. “Long-range scans of the Rose won’t show anything other than a merchant ship. Close-range scans should come up empty as well. Per Thad, of course.”

  “Should?”

  “There’s only so much camouflage we can use to fool somebody’s sensors before they figure out we’re working hard to fool their sensors. Quinn and Thad have done their jobs well enough, though I’d suggest you only get into brief conversations with anyone we meet out here and avoid protracted arguments.”

  She smiled. “Something I’ve never quite had a grip on.” A series of beeps drew her attention back to her console. She pressed the intercom, causing the speakers throughout the Rose to crackle to life. “The computers’ calculated our course. W
e’ll be lifting off in the next few minutes. Mia, I’ll need you here in the cockpit with me. Quinn, take the engine room.”

  “Understood,” Quinn replied.

  “Fine,” Mia said, drawing out the ‘I’ in exasperation.

  “And just where are we going now?” Alasdair asked as he slipped into the copilot’s seat.

  “Balara,” she replied matter-of-factly.

  “That was quick. Not exactly in the direction we need to go. The last position of the missing freighters was near Camia, remember?”

  “While we were dirtside here, I contacted a friend. He didn’t have the information I needed but said we’d have no problems finding it on Balara. The man we’re going to meet there should have more detailed scans of the Camia system. That’s the last piece of the puzzle we need.”

  “And who might this new man be?”

  Part of her wanted to explain it to Alasdair, but now was not the time. “I’m not at liberty to say at this point.”

  “I need more than that, Kristin.”

  Kristin huffed in frustration at his disregard. “You need to hang up your badge for now. When and if I feel it’s necessary, I’ll let you know.”

  He could tell that continued prodding wasn’t going to make him any headway. He softened his tone, hoping to neutralize the situation. “And this contact? You know them?”

  She nodded. “I’ve traded with him before. Once. That’s what our cargo hold is filled for. Cargo for information. That’s the rule.”

  Alasdair replied skeptically. “Any reason it was a one-time thing?”

  Every exchange with her former partner flashed through her mind in an instant. Some of them could even be considered pleasant, though most she’d rather forget. That man! “It’s complicated.”

  “And so you’re going to try your luck again?”

  “His goods might be faulty, but his information is always spot on.”

  “Do you trust him?”

  Her frustrated tone returned. “I don’t trust anyone except myself. But I do understand him, and I think that’s something you can understand.”

  Alasdair knew when he’d lost. “Yes, ma’am,” he replied with a condescending salute. That was when Mia appeared in the cockpit.

  “Did I miss something?” she asked.

  “Nothing,” Alasdair fumed as he began to work his controls. “I was just getting our new orders from Captain Ahab.”

  “Uh-huh,” Mia remarked uncomfortably.

  Kristin didn’t turn to look at her. “Mia, how are you at environmental controls?”

  “You’d be surprised what a girl can pick up in her travels. Where we going?”

  Alasdair watched as Mia took her seat, then expertly began accessing the controls of the station while Thesril jumped into her lap. “Balara. And are you sure that thing is free of diseases?”

  “Usted es uno para hablar,” she muttered, initiating the console before leaning back. “Balara,” she then repeated wistfully. “Nice place. Lots of credits floating around over there. Very posh. Top-notch security.” She then looked at Kristin. “So why are we going there?”

  Kristin toggled the artificial horizon on as she verified her instrument readings. “We’re going to meet a man.”

  Mia chuckled. “Well, that’s good. There’s a decided lack of those on this ship.”

  “Very funny,” Alasdair groaned.

  Kristin switched on the auxiliary power unit, then spun up the thrusters that would lift the Rose from the landing pad. “Quinn, standby to cut over to internal gravity. Mia, make sure all external hatches are sealed and adjust environmental controls accordingly.”

  Inputting the required commands, the two then responded in unison. “Ready.”

  The ship reverberated under the power of the thrusters as they reached their full idle position.

  “Liftoff in 5…4…3…2...1.” Kristin pushed the throttle control, bringing the thrusters up to three-quarter power. The Cobalt Rose lifted gracefully from the surface, kicking up a small cloud of dust as she did so. Two minutes later, when the ship had reached two-thousand kilometers, she gripped the flight control stick with her left hand. “Transitioning to the lateral engines… now.”

  The rear main drive engines roared to life, propelling the Rose up and out of the planet’s atmosphere in only a few seconds. The blue sky of Complex gradually faded and was replaced by the blackness of space and the twinkling of far-distant stars.

  “Internal gravity is go,” Mia said as she verified her readings.

  Quinn’s voice sounded over the intercom. “All engines are operating in specs. Jump drive core is coming online now. Coordinates have been accepted by the jump computer.”

  “We’re nearing the jump gate,” Alasdair said as the external sensor readings were displayed.

  Kristin nodded. “Engaging jump in 3…2…1. Now.”

  There was a brief flash of light as the universe appeared to contract in front of the ship and expand behind it. Suddenly the stars streaked around the forward viewport as the ship entered the jump conduit.

  An hour later, without a single word spoken on the cockpit in that time, the Rose emerged from the jump tunnel with a slight shudder. Balara, with its swirling orange and red clouds covering most of the major landmasses, was directly in front of them.

  “Jump drive disengaged,” Alasdair confirmed as he leaned back in his chair.

  Kristin nodded. “Open a communication channel to the port authority. Request landing instructions and—” her sentence was cut off when the Rose suddenly rocked to the left, almost tossing them from their seats in the process.

  “Bloody hell!” Alasdair shouted as both he and Kristin fought to right the ship. “There’s an attack vessel closing in on us!” he shouted as he peered into the short-range sensors. “They’re firing!”

  Mia noted the comm light blinking between the two pilots. “Communication coming in.”

  “Let’s hear it,” Kristin said as she pulled the Rose into a hard turn to avoid another laser volley.

  Alasdair opened the channel and was immediately greeted with a commanding voice.

  “Repeat: This is Balara Orbital Patrol ship Zed-Three-Five-Six. Stand down and prepare to be boarded. We will not make this request a second time. Acknowledge.”

  Chapter 13

  This is it… we’re all going to jail. I knew this was a horrible plan. Kristin stood in the middle of the cargo hold with the rest of her crew scattered around the lower level of the compartment. In front of her stood the Lieutenant from the Balara Security Patrol that'd boarded the Cobalt Rose nearly forty-five minutes earlier. The dark leather of his outfit squeaked softly as he silently read over the crew and cargo manifest on a small computer. From time to time, his eyes would furrow, causing the already deep lines of his face to become almost cavernous. This routine, repeated some half-dozen times, was followed by an unhurried succession of commands into the computer. Finally, after ten full minutes, he passed the computer to a waiting aid.

  "So, Captain Reynolds, what is it that brings you to Balara?" he asked calmly.

  Kristin kept her eyes locked on the piercing blue ones staring back at her. "Trade. Looking to offload some of this ooze." Behind her, the nearest container of goo bubbled serenely. She strongly fought the urge to vomit on the security officer. "I hear tell it'll fetch a good price."

  “You don’t look well.”

  “I’m fine,” she snapped, her stomach turning. “Just a little jump sickness.”

  The Lieutenant presented a spurious smile. "I'm sure. And your plans afterward?"

  Kristin shrugged casually. At least, she hoped it looked casual. "Maybe pick up some new cargo… possibly some spare parts. Maybe even a passenger or two for the ride home."

  The invented smile melted away. "I see."

  From behind her Kristin could hear heavy footfalls coming down the port stairway. This was followed by the sound of a weapon being moved. Whether it was being drawn or instead holstered, she c
ouldn't tell. The Lieutenant shifted his gaze in the direction of the sound.

  "Did you find anything?"

  "No, sir," a gravelly voice replied. "The ship's clean."

  The Lieutenant's cold, emotionless eyes returned to Kristin. "Fortunate. Well, it seems like everything is in order here then. We'll be on our way." He raised a finger and made a slow, singular circle with it. Evidently, this was the signal for the dozen or so attending officers to move back to the airlock. The gurgling noise of the ooze decreased rapidly, as did Kristin’s nausea.

  "That's it?" Kristin asked, trying to remain in character. "Not even a 'we're sorry to have bothered you'?" This caught the Lieutenant's attention, stopping him in his tracks before turning slowly back to face her.

  "I don't apologize for doing my job, Captain Reynolds," he said with authority as he took measured steps back to her. "Frankly, I find it highly suspicious that your ship and it's marking bare a striking resemblance to a smuggling vessel that supposedly jumped out of the system at the same time and nearly the exact same location as your arrival."

  Interesting. "That's quite a coincidence," Kristin replied evenly.

  "It is at that, Captain. Nevertheless, I know my people were quite thorough in their investigation of your vessel and its computer systems. And as for your crew… well, all of their credentials check out. For now. So, I'll let you be on your way to the surface."

  "Then we'll be on our way."

  He turned once more and walked to the small airlock, but not before offering one last bit of advice as he opened the hatch. "Just remember, Captain: once somebody makes it on my radar, I never lose track of them. That goes for the smuggler who thinks he's gotten away or anyone else that enters this system. I trust you'll remember that."

  When the ooze behind her bubble once more, so did her stomach. "I'll do that."

  The Lieutenant nodded once before the hatch closed behind him. A minute later there was an audible hiss as the airlock depressurized, a sound which was mirrored by the crew of the Cobalt Rose, who let out a collectively held breath.