Mess Hall Aboard the Chesed, Edge of Klaunox-Orion Sector
The Chesed was abuzz with activity in preparation for their job.
Shango was on the bridge, immersed in the data that the Odysseus had provided them. Olofi had shut himself in his quarters for some kind of vague planning, only leaving to consult with Shango occasionally. Loco was in the armory preparing various weapons and tooling up body armor. Jelly Bean, as was common, was zipping back and forth to different areas of the ship attending to various systems. Bentley and Jade had been left with no assigned duties, and instead had taken the time to sit down for a midday meal.
Jade had clearly put a lot of effort into the meal they’d been eating, enough that it might have made Olofi jealous if he’d been around to see it: eggs benedict, well-made enough that Bentley didn’t even notice the odd texture that usually accompanied the autocook’s synthetic foods. She’d paired it with some orange juice topped off with generous pours from a newly opened tequila bottle.
“This is pretty good,” Bentley commented between mouthfuls. “I mean, come to think of it, I don’t actually know what real eggs taste like. But I assume they don’t have that weird plastic taste that comes in everything that gets made here.”
Jade took a long drink from her highball and sighed. “I used to have eggs like this every day at around fourteen hundred.”
“Two?” Bentley looked down at the food. “A little late for breakfast, don’t you think?”
“It’s called brunch. Early enough for eggs, late enough for alcohol,” Jade replied nostalgically. “All the it-girls on Sparta would come together for it. Get a little buzzed, gossip a bit, exchange tips on the best new stores…”
Bentley noticed the longing in her face. “I guess you miss your friends, huh?”
Jade giggled and took a quick sip. “Oh, they weren’t my friends. They were the worst. All totally fake. They were always preoccupied with whose boyfriend was richer or who had the nicest handbag. We’d spend all day talking about pointless things, usually whatever girl had just left the table.”
“Almost sounds like you don’t miss it anymore,” Bentley observed. “Do you like it that much on this ship?”
“It has its moments,” she said. “I don’t know… I guess when I first let Jedson take me away, it’s because I wanted excitement, adventure, new possibilities.” She sighed and poked at her egg with her fork, puncturing the yolk. “But Sparta wasn’t an adventure. It was the same thing. A whole lot of nothing. Just with nicer food and nicer dresses.”
Bentley smirked at the comparison. “Hey, I’d just settle for nicer food.”
Jade brushed a lock of hair behind her ear. “I mean, you’re not wrong there. But on the Chesed, we go on real adventures. Real, exciting places. The kind of spots Jedson would only say he’d take me to when he’d been drinking whiskey all day and starting up a new mid-life crisis that ended when he woke up with a hangover. I didn’t think I’d ever go to Dracon, or to the edge of the sector.”
Bentley tried to keep her newfound resentment for the boys out of her voice. “If you’d been there for all the parts where we’re getting shot at, you might feel differently.”
“I mean, there was that one time,” Jade said, almost as though she thought on the firefight following her first kidnapping fondly. “Also, that second time. But even then, it’s different. I feel like I can trust those three to protect me better than Jedson or some station security force ever could.”
“They can fight,” Bentley admitted. “Definitely got to give them that.”
“And the Chesed is such a strange and beautiful ship. The machinery, it just becomes more interesting the more I look at it. Like each piece had so much care put into it...” Jade almost looked starry-eyed talking about engine repair, a side of her Bentley had only seen emerging recently.
All of this was making it harder for Bentley to bring up what she’d been wanting to broach since their brunch had begun. “So you’re really getting attached to this place, huh?” she asked.
“I mean I don’t have some magical sword destiny like you do,” Jade replied facetiously, though acknowledging that it was only a hairsbreadth from not being a joke. “But more and more, this feels right. Like this is what I was supposed to be doing.”
“Must be nice,” Bentley considered. She took a long drink, downing the rest of her orange juice, then topping off the empty glass with some straight tequila. With enough liquid courage, she decided to just come out and say it. “After this job, I’m probably getting out of here. Time to strike out on my own with my share.”
Jade dropped her fork on the table, as though what she’d heard was enough to make her completely lose all concern for her food. The dreamy, contented look on her face had dropped just as quickly. “What?” she said. “You can’t be serious.”
“I’m totally serious,” Bentley affirmed. “That feeling, like it’s where you’re supposed to be? I don’t have that here. I don’t think I ever will.”
“Oh, come on!” Jade raised her voice incredulously. “They need you here! To use that sword to send them home or whatever!”
“That’s what they want,” Bentley replied. “That doesn’t have anything to do with me. Just because I can use the sword doesn’t mean I have to use it for them.”
“They risked their lives for you and that thing!” Jade snapped at her. “Twice! Doesn’t that count for anything to you?”
“I know it sounds selfish,” Bentley acknowledged. “But I think maybe I’ve got to be selfish. I can’t just live for everyone else over some sword I don’t even know anything about.”
Jade’s cheeks visibly flushed even through her masterfully applied white concealer. “Maybe you’ve forgotten,” she said. “But I had my fucking standard corteX fried over that sword. I can’t even have a normal life because of you and that thing. And you’re just going to bail like it’s no big deal?”
Bentley couldn’t help but feel guilty, but didn’t relent. Her eyes met Jade’s disapproving look. “Look, I know your life’s been fucked with over all this, but that’s not my fault. I wouldn’t have gotten you involved at all. I tried to get you off this ship, remember?”
“I remember,” Jade replied. “Now it seems to me like maybe you were just trying to find an excuse to bail on the others back then, like you are now.”
Bentley dropped her own fork on her plate. “Come on, Jade. I thought that out of everyone on this ship, you’d have understood,” she said. “I don’t belong here. I don’t belong anywhere. And I’m sick of getting kidnapped and tortured and pushed around over all this drama with swords and gods and those LaPlace motherfuckers that I don’t have anything to do with!”
Jade pointed a well-kempt finger at her accusingly. “You have more to do with all that than anyone else,” she said. “Like it or not. Running from that isn’t going to change anything. My boyfriend thought he could run from his problems and disappear, and you remember how that worked out for him. Space dust!”
Bentley felt herself getting more defensive. “Don’t compare me to your shitty dead ex!” she said with a scowl.
Jade was about to snap back at her, but stopped when the door connecting to the bridge hissed open. Jelly Bean stood in the doorway.
“I hope your meal was productive,” Jelly Bean said. “If you are both finished, the captain is requesting you both be present on the bridge to brief on your role in the oncoming mission.”
Bentley looked at her android friend nervously. Looking into her oversized, emotive, holographic eyes, she couldn’t find it in her to tell Jelly Bean about her plans quite yet, more so after seeing Jade’s reaction. Then again, with her capabilities she may have heard the entire conversation already.
She stood up, abandoning her half-eaten meal. “Thanks, Jelly,” she said. “I’ll be right over.”
CHAPTER FIVE
Bridge Aboard the Chesed, Edge of Klaunox-Orion Sector
The full crew of the Chesed had gathered around th
e meeting table in the rear area of the bridge, with Jade and Bentley being the last to arrive. There was a tense energy in the room. Loco had an angry scowl on his face, which wasn’t unusual, but Olofi’s expression was only slightly different. Both looked to Shango, who stood at the head of the table and acknowledged the arrival of the others.
“Good, you’re here,” he said. “There is more pertinent information regarding our new allies that you ought to know.”
Bentley looked from one to the other. “Shit. Are they working for Amroth after all?”
“No,” Shango replied. “Certainly not. However, we have good reason to believe that we are dealing with an android crew. Artificial life forms.”
“What? Like Jelly?” Bentley answered. “I don’t exactly see a family resemblance.”
Jelly Bean’s face turned to an emotive frown for a moment as though she resented the comparison, but she didn’t speak up.
“Bean is qualitatively different,” Shango replied on her behalf. “These are advanced androids that replicate organic humans quite seamlessly when viewed by the human eye.”
“So, uh, how can you tell, then?” Bentley asked.
Loco replied with an angry scoff. “Right. Like I’d be fooled by a fucking alf.”
Olofi glanced at him, likely considering giving Loco a reminder of a very recent time that he’d been fooled by just that, but remained unusually silent.
Shango looked to Bentley. “You recall our discussion of how we arrived here, yes? We are the ones who made it possible for artificial intelligence to evolve into sentient life in this world. The markers of it may be indistinguishable to you, but they will always be obvious to us.”
Bentley’s frown deepened. “So you knew from the moment we met with Blackfriar, then? And you’re waiting until now to tell me?”
“I had to convene with the others,” Shango said. “Furthermore, I saw it imprudent to let on that we know this about them. They did not volunteer this information, and as such I preferred we reciprocate such secrecy.”
“Can’t argue with that,” Bentley agreed. “I did think they all looked weirdly… Perfect. Like they’d all come fresh out of a box or something.”
“Hell, a couple of them actually might have,” Loco added. “Who knows how fast these ones breed?”
Shango waved his hand as though expressing he were done with this subject for the time being. “Nonetheless,” he said. “We will continue to work with them as required. This has become all the more necessary as it appears our employer has now opted to relay all of the mission information directly through them.”
Loco’s scowl illustrated that the reminder of that physically stung. “Maybe he prefers working with artificial life. Makes sense for a guy who obviously treats everyone like a bunch of a fucking tools.”
“Loco,” Jelly Bean interceded. “Please.”
“Right. Sorry, Jelly.” He replied, barely sounding truly apologetic at all. “But at least now we’ve got outright confirmation that the guy wanted us to work together. A whole breakdown of our skills and how they all relate to what’s got to be done. Basically this divides into equal parts tech, combat, and stealth ops.”
“Honestly, we’ve got all three covered,” Olofi commented. He sounded just a little offended that they weren’t considered such.
“So which one are we?” Bentley asked.
Loco made a face of mock-disgust. “Stealth, apparently,” he said. “Guess this asshole hasn’t seen me fight if he thinks those goddamn rebels can do better.”
“You don’t survive fighting the Federation in your own space by being pushovers,” Olofi considered. “They might just be better at the kind of fighting that’s needed. Or maybe they just don’t solve every problem with their fists and a giant gun.”
Bentley thought back to the meeting aboard the Odysseus. “From what I saw, that sounds about right for those guys. They were practically threatening to pull out their guns in the middle of the talks.”
“Anyway,” Olofi said loudly, emoting clearly that this wasn’t a topic he enjoyed discussing. “We’ve got to do a recon mission at Thralldom. And by we, I mean not we at all. One person from each ship will come together to board the casino and scope the place out. Probably more, but as usual the head honcho is holding out on us. I swear, this fucking job…”
While Olofi grumbled, Jelly Bean took over. “Unfortunately, Thralldom has highly advanced protective technology that shields it from corteX signals and dampens its use. Ostensibly, this is to prevent various methods of implant-based cheating at the casino games. Additionally, this sophisticated shield and interference matrix is also what prevents the station from being detected on any long-range sensors.”
“So whoever goes in is totally on their own?” Bentley asked. “With a rebel and an android? And do we even trust these androids?”
Loco gave Bentley a strange grin. “For once, kid, I agree with you. Trusting these guys would be stupid.”
Olofi made a slightly morbid smile. “Hell, I barely even trust myself. Better that way.”
“It would also be foolhardy to take the intent of the rebels at face value,” Shango added. “Remember that this is a desperate group that will engage in any means to achieve their goal. This is a necessity of their situation, but in our case it makes them perpetually both dangerous and unpredictable.”
“At least we know where they’re coming from,” Loco replied. “I prefer a guy I can trust to always have a knife pointed at my back. It’s those fake smiles and sunshine types you have to watch out for. And androids can be the worst of that bunch.”
“That captain was way too friendly,” Bentley agreed. “I felt like I was getting some kind of sales pitch.”
Olofi continued his portion of the briefing. “Well, at least we’re not actually on radio silence. Jelly’s managed to rig us up a little something-something.”
Jelly Bean projected a 3D model of what looked like one of Shango’s bit-tools, but slightly smaller and of an odder shape. “Using the data on Thralldom’s shielding, I have found weaknesses based on what they use for their own personal communications. Advanced tracking and data transfer will not be possible, but Shango and I have modified a subspace audio transmitter that will allow us to speak back and forth. Through interfacing with offline corteX implant tech, I may also be able to achieve some degree of visuals.”
Loco looked right at Bentley. “So there you go, kid. Jelly will be in your ear the whole time.”
“Huh.” Bentley considered the tech for just a moment before the implication of what Loco said dawned on her. “Wait, what? Me? I have to go on this mission?”
Loco gave an affirmative nod. “Yep. How it’s gotta be,” he said.
“Why? If stealth is supposed to be our thing, shouldn’t it be Olo?” Bentley protested. “Can’t he like, turn invisible or something?”
Olofi looked amused by her assessment of his abilities. “No, I just go unnoticed. And it’ll be easier for a pretty girl to pull that off than any one of us in a place like this.”
“Still, you guys are supposed to be some bigshot immortal gods or something,” Bentley pressed. “You can’t tell me that if you’re going send one person down there with two unpredictable, dangerous new companions that you think I’m the best choice.” She felt unusually cautious. After all, the last two times she’d gone out alone she’d found herself Amroth’s prisoner each time.
Loco averted his gaze from Bentley and she saw him share a glance with the other two. “Yeah, you’re right, honestly,” he confessed, looking back at her. “You’re probably the last person I’d want to send down there at this point. But the three of us have another job we have to do in the meanwhile. Crucial to the mission, and it needs the whole power trio.”
“Power trio?” Bentley looked at him, unimpressed with the distinction he felt he needed to draw between her and the original crew. “That’s what you’re calling yourselves now?”
Jade took this moment to speak. “Wha
t about me?” she asked. “I want to help, too.”
“You will be assisting me in ship operations,” Jelly Bean told her. “Maintaining a secure subspace AV channel will require almost undivided attention on my part; I will need someone to assist the main system in keeping us operational, especially if hostilities break out.”
Jade looked satisfied, and perhaps even a little excited. “I can do that,” she said.
Olofi gave Jade a worried glance. “You’re basically going to have the bridge. Are you ready for that?”
Jade nodded. “I think I can handle it. Just don’t shoot at anything and keep the ship running.”
Olofi smiled, his blue eyes dancing over to Loco. “Hey, she’s learning. Already knows more than you do.”
“Ha ha,” Loco chuffed with bored sarcasm. “You’re a real laugh riot, Olo. Let’s just hope neither of the other ships gets the bright idea to blow us up while we’re all distracted. Or you’ll wish we had a warrior on the bridge.”
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