“If you will follow me,” she began patiently, noticing that part of the arriving Control crew was beginning to stare, “I will discuss the matter with you privately.” she said, ushering the younger woman into the Observation Room. The Observation Room was behind an automatic door to the left side on the Control Deck. From here, the ship's Captain could view the control crew through one-way glass walls that faced the control deck, while getting away to themselves. Straight ahead as you entered the room was a large outer facing window with automatic privacy blinds, before it sat a large smooth, glass top desk. To the left was a wall with a built in display unit, to the right was a wall filled with rows of computer screens, each one showing the data on one of the control center's stations. From here, the Captain could oversee everything the crew was doing, down to the information on their screens.
The Captain had not been in this room before and she tried to hide her surprise as she entered it, but she was never very good at hiding her feelings, she supposed it due to her red hair. And there were many surprises on this ship.
“So,” Valesque erupted as soon as the doors had closed, “who authorized this?”
“I don’t see what concern it is of a Tech-Labs worker.” the Captain responded calmly, as she walked about the room trying to remain unalarmed as she surveyed its unfinished state. “But I receive my orders from my commanding officer, the same as you.”
The young Scientist scowled, “I receive orders from no one.” she hissed, narrowing her eyes at the intruding Military Captain. In the dim light of the room, the girl’s eyes shone brightly as her naturally pale, Virrilian skin took on an almost eerie glow.
“I see.” the Captain replied softly, not really paying attention as she pondered the presence of the large cables that cascaded from the open ceiling panels.
Valesque tried to remain calm. “Just what did `your Commanding Officer’ tell you about this ship, anyway?” she finally asked, noting how the other woman regarded the incomplete state of the room. It was obvious she had not been briefed on the Magellan’s present state, and maybe when she was she would see the mistake and disembark the vessel with her crew.
“I was informed that the Vortex was undergoing some minor . . . refurbishing.” the woman replied, her red hair shining in the dim light as she glanced up the web of cables she was nearest to. “But that their completion was not necessary for our mission.”
Valesque laughed aloud, so loud the Captain thought for sure the crew outside could hear her. “First of all, lady,” the young scientist began, regaining her composure. The Captain glanced at her coldly. “Captain.” Valesque corrected, conceding. “First of all, this is the I.S.A Magellan, S as in Science, and not the `Warpact’ or whatever military ship you are looking for. And secondly, this ship is NOT being remodeled, it is being built! As in constructed, created, assembled, put together originally, finished!” she exclaimed in her usual thesaurus way, stepping forward and grabbing two cables out of the tangled mess the Captain had just been puzzling over and snapping them together as she uttered the last syllable.
“And furthermore,” she continued not even pausing for breath, as the Captain regarded her in amazement, “the Magellan is not, has never and won’t be, for quite a while, on any `Mission’! And now I would suggest, Captain, that you and your crew get off my ship!” the young scientist added forcefully, enraged at the woman’s obvious lack of decorum, for she just kept staring over the Scientist’s shoulder and glancing back at her amused.
Valesque wished then and there she had waited and let her partner talk to this obnoxious Captain. She could never keep her temper, she hadn’t even been with her five minutes and she already felt like killing her!
Captain Fairbanks calmly stepped across the room to the large, slick, if not entirely clean desk, grinning all the while like the cat that ate the canary.
Which after further reflection, and after she had settled herself down in the exquisitely comfortable desk chair, she decided was not such a good idea with a Virrilian and immediately wiped the smile from her face.
“I see.” she began coolly, addressing the hot-tempered young woman before her after a moment of silence. “But, it is my understanding . . .” she continued, pulling her Vid-screen from its holder on her waist and punching up a data screen, “that the I.P.A Vortex, Omega S-Class Intergalactic Battle Cruiser, has been, will be and is commissioned out for battle. So it seems that one of us has the wrong ship.” she mused, looking up at the enraged young scientist and then beyond her, gesturing toward the wall on her far right. “And it seems it is you... uh, what is your name again?”
Valesque turned slightly to see what the woman was alluding to, realizing then what she had been staring at so smugly before.
The cable Valesque had snapped together was the power supply for the ship’s registry display that she herself had designed and built.
The wall the Captain had noted was recessed and covered with a three-dimensional mural of the galaxy with shimmering stars, solar systems, comets and the like. Complete with man-made orbital moon Saturna 3, the ship’s birthplace, and a scale model of the ship itself in the foreground.
All set off by the antique replicas of pioneering telescopes that gave humans their first glimpse into space. Usually the sight of her best work come to life would have made her spirits soar, but as she glanced at her masterpiece of engineering and programming her blood ran cold. Instead of her meticulously crafted name plate for the I.S.A Magellan hung the menacing, rough-hewn, and quickly done replacement, the `I.P.A Vortex’.
Valesque was not sure which amazed her more, their sheer gall or their amazing speed in overtaking her ship.
The Captain, quite sure the argument was now over, repeated her last question as she punched up the crew registry to assure this volatile woman she was where she didn’t belong. “What was your name again?” she repeated patiently.
The young scientist turned back to her impatiently, her lips in a full snarl, showing all four of her sharp white fangs, while her naturally pale face flushed red in her building fury.
“My name is Valesque, Chief Engineer of this project.” she replied bluntly, through clenched teeth, trying to keep herself from lunging over the desk and ripping the Captain’s throat out.
“No, no,” the Captain corrected, hating to use any title so civilian, “your ranking title.”
Valesque grew indignant; straightening up to her full height she replied very clearly, “I am not a classified military officer.” she replied so vehemently that she almost spat the last few words.
The Captain was astounded by her proclamation; she could have sworn the young woman sounded almost proud of her non-ranking standing. Never the less she punched in the name just to assure herself it wasn’t in the ship’s registry, and grimaced to see it just a moment later as the computer located her. `Great’, she thought, `this is not good.’ Outwardly, she said, “Well, non-classified Valesque it seems you are assigned to this ship.”
Valesque grinned smugly, supposing the woman had finally found her mistake.
“As maintenance Ensign, second class.”
“What!” Valesque shouted, grabbing for the handheld screen, which the Captain deftly snatched from her reach as she continued:
“According to this you are a classified military ensign, Ensign.”
“Since when and by whose orders!!” the young woman snapped, disbelieving. Nothing like that was possible; you cannot just go around classifying people. “Who is the commanding officer of this outrage?!”
“According to the records you became an Ensign second class, just over two hours ago.” the Captain replied. “Congratulations.”
For some reason she just seemed to enjoy irritating this young woman, although she knew it probably was not a wise thing to do. Especially seeing as the young Virrilian was beginning to go into hunting mode, her eyes filming over, but at least her nails were cut.
“And in answer to your second question, which as I remember w
as also your first,” she continued, looking up at her new Ensign calmly, “the commanding officer of this mission is General Gorbok. My superior and friend, who has assigned this ship to report to the Corseccan Galaxy as a military defense vessel.”
Valesque gaped in disbelief, she couldn’t breathe, she couldn’t stand, all she could do was stare. “General `Warlord’ Gorbok?!” she asked in shock and alarm.
The same General who had been snooping around the project for the last few months? The same General who had felt it necessary to infiltrate a construction crew with spies?
The same General who her partner had just this morning gone to get a restraining order and injunction against, that General Gorbok?
She could not believe it. It could not be true, why would anyone in their right mind hand over a science vessel to the `Warlord’ General?
“Insubordination will not be tolerated on this ship, Ensign. I suggest you refrain from referring to your commanding General as `Warlord’. Do I make myself clear? Because as of . . .” she checked her screen, “two hours and twenty minutes ago General Gorbok became your commanding General, and I was given command of this vessel. If there is any more discussion on this point I will throw you into the brig, Ensign, is that clear?!”
Valesque was steaming now as she crouched low over the Captain’s desk, placing both hands before her on the smooth hard surface, her brown eyes glowing silver as she spat, “Let me make myself clear, Captain. I am not, have not and will never be an Ensign on any ship and certainly not on my own ship. And as for your Commanding officer, well, we will just see about that!” she seethed, “But for right now, let me just say that your taking this ship into Corseccan space would be a grave mistake, you would be destroyed in an instant. If you even made it there to begin with.”
“I don’t know what you could possibly mean,” Captain Fairbanks replied defensively, relieved to see that the Virrilian had at least backed off just a bit, “this ship is equipped with weapons far superior to anything the Corseccans have. It should be an easy victory.”
“Ha!” Valesque laughed, “Victory? Do you have any idea what state your weapons systems are in? Or even how to run them? I don't think you do. What’s more, I don't think your dear old General had enough time in those two hours he used to take over my ship to get you an optimal crew. Just how many poor souls did he manage to round up for this death march?” she asked sarcastically.
The Captain was not sure she entirely liked what this young engineer was alluding to. “In case it is any concern of yours, we have a crew of over two hundred and fifty. More than enough to run this ship for the short time we will be needing her.” Fairbanks responded curtly. She was beginning to get a little tired of this girl’s belligerent attitude and cross-examination.
“More than enough.” Valesque sneered. “Whatever you say, Captain. As for me, I’m getting off this ship and I’m going to do everything in my power to stop you from taking it into the Corseccan Galaxy if it’s the last thing I do. Even if I have to press criminal charges against old General `Warlord’ himself!” she swore adamantly.
“I’m afraid that won’t do you any good.” the Captain warned her, opening up the automatic blinds. “You see, we are already preparing to leave space dock. We are scheduled to launch in four hours. And believe me Ensign, one way or another you will be on this ship when it leaves.” the Captain said smugly.
The General had wasted no time.
“You can’t! You can’t do this. There is a forty-eight hour clearance rule at Tech-Labs. They would never let a ship in this condition get clearance to leave space dock.” Valesque argued.
“Well, in this case, with the war effort needing our emergency assistance, they seem to have made an exception. In addition, as much as I hate to say it, it looks like you are stuck with us. At least until we reach Corseccan space, I am sure since you come from that area you will have someone who would be willing to retrieve you.”
“No, no, no.” Valesque breathed, her eyes widening at the thought. Her people had sworn to kill her if she ever entered their space again. “You can’t take me back there! I cannot go in there. It is impossible! You cannot just come in here and fly off with me like that! Kidnapping is still a crime here you know!” Valesque reasoned feverishly, but the Captain refused to be understanding.
“Kidnapping is hardly the case; you seem to have forgotten you are an ensign on this vessel, Miss Valesque. You will be with us and since you don’t seem to have any way of getting off, I guess you will have to go to battle with us as well.”
Valesque panicked, foreseeing the disastrous consequences of that action, “Oh, no. I most certainly am not! I am not going to be a party to your suicide mission. If you all want to go and get yourself killed you will have to do it without me!” the Engineer barked ferociously. No matter what these people had planned she was not about to die. She could always find another station and get funding to rebuild the Magellan.
But then again, after this one is destroyed, it might be difficult to get any takers.
“I really don’t see where you have any other choice.” the Captain remarked. “And seeing as you refuse to be a part of this crew, you will just have to stay confined to quarters until we return to Star Base. Is that clear?!”
Valesque glared at her defiantly, “I’ll tell you what’s clear!” she growled. “You are going to die! You are all going to die! And I intend to get off this ship using any means in my power before that happens!” she finished, her temper near its peak as she turned sharply on her heel from the unnerved woman before her and strode across the room, unsnapping the power cables to the display as she stormed out the door.
The entire control crew stopped to stare as the raging Virrilian erupted from the Captain’s Observation Room. Fear gripping them as they saw her turn back sharply on her heel, pointing one immaculately manicured finger toward the Captain as the automatic doors began to hiss shut, and say, “You will live to rue the day you tangled with me, Captain, you’ll rue the day you were even born! If you live.”
And with that the livid scientist stalked out of the Control Deck, not even casting a glance upon her observers. Among whom was a young ensign in charge of Operations Command named Sanic; who had been a long time admirer of the beautiful Tech-Labs Engineer.
Ensign Sanic glanced around to assure himself there was no duty he was about to shirk before he quickly followed her out of the Command Center.
Meanwhile the Captain sat sighing relief at her near escape with the younger woman, she should have known better than to antagonize her. But she had never been one to back down from a fight. Her Irish temper always got the better of her.
She glanced down at her finger, stroking the tattooed clan ring that encircled it. Sometimes she wished the Irish-Scott colonies had taught her a little more control and a lot less contention.
She more than hoped, as she gazed out the huge observation window, that the woman would be able to get reassigned off the ship. Yet, there wasn’t much chance of that seeing as the I.P.A never changes it’s mind and especially since they were already being prepared to leave space dock.
Chapter Two: Traitor?
“Well,” Valesque began to herself as soon as she had cleared the automatic doors, “that had gone well; after all, no blood was spilled.”
But some was going to be, she thought as she suddenly sprang into action, sprinting down the corridor. She was determined to find her lost partner and give him a good going over for leaving her alone with that woman. After finding out what had gone wrong at the proceedings, of course.
Moments later Valesque was darting across the hard steel flooring of the construction bay, this was the first time she could remember being out here in well . . .weeks anyway.
Since they had gotten the food duplicators on line and had shipped in a few extra cots, she had not found it necessary to venture outside the ship and had continued working steadily on several secret projects of her own, along with her usual construction w
orkload.
Now as she sprinted the few hundred yards to the exit door, she took a moment to scan the large open area between the ship and her destination. The ground crews were busy, almost all of the larger equipment and building supplies had been cleared away, it had to be because once they opened those airlock doors space would take care of the clean up itself.
Valesque reached the small metal door leading to the web of streets outside and flung it open, rushing through the portal and straight into the arms of a very surprised young man.
Space Trippers Book 1: Trippin' Page 2
