The Silver Liner: Takes Flight!

by Daniel Sullivan

He faltered a little as she wrapped her arms around him. “Easy there,” he said weakly, patting her on the back. “I’m nowhere near a hundred-percent.” He leaned back, partially sitting on the bed for support.

  “God, I’m so glad you’re up and about,” Heather exclaimed, still hugging him.

  “Captain,” said Selena over the loudspeaker, her familiar voice soothing him, reassuring him by its presence. “I see that you are again operational.”

  “Lena!” He brightened at the sound of her voice, still shaken by how close they had come to losing her. “I’m still here, thanks to you and the crew. Are you all right?”

  “Though my consciousness is now limited to my body, ship systems have been fully restored to their settings prior to the virus,” she replied. “We may go wherever you wish, Captain.”

  “Thanks, Lena. Where are we now?”

  “We’re still orbiting Venus,” Selena replied. “The facility had no ships and is completely destroyed now in any case. The only incoming ship on their flight plan is the Ramos and she is not due for another six weeks. It is a certainty, however, that Lorgen is in pursuit.”

  “Venus is gaining on Mars,” Kendrick noted. “We have time before anyone else comes along; even Lorgen won’t be here for weeks. By that time, Venus position relative to Mars should be optimal for a quick jump to the Red Planet. I can hit Phoenix; Mun can get to a hospital, we can resupply and then get outta Dodge. No clue what we’ll do after that. And Lena, you were right. I should have listened to you.”

  “No, Captain,” Selena countered. “It was you who were right. I did obtain a new avatar and my self-awareness was preserved. Had we not gone to Venus, this would not have been possible. You saved me, Captain. Thank you.”

  “Then you saved us, so thank you!” He then looked at Heather and Ronan, pausing for a long moment, appreciating the priest and the engineer. “You have my thanks, both of you. You saved all four of us.”

  The two men shook hands and Heather gave him a gentle squeeze, then let go as he moved to stand.

  “My pleasure, Captain,” replied the priest.

  Kendrick went to Selena’s cabin to check in on her, and to investigate what trouble she was having integrating her new body. He depressed the pad next to the door, sounding the chime, and Selena answered promptly. As soon as she saw him, she threw her arms around him. He would have sworn that she was a human girl if he did not know otherwise. Selena held him as tightly as she could without pressing on his injuries.

  “When I saw you fall on Venus, I thought I was going to lose you.” Selene did not cry; her body was capable of producing tears, but her emotions worked differently than those of humans. Nor was her voice thick with emotion as a human’s might be, but her feelings were nonetheless obvious.

  “I know the feeling,” he replied. “How’s the new body?”

  Selena led him inside and sat down on her bed, Kendrick taking a seat at her desk chair, turning it to face her.

  “It … it is difficult,” she lamented. “I transferred my consciousness to the ship and was overjoyed that my self-aware spark was not confined to a singular body. But when we brought the body aboard and I migrated to it, I found that I could not leave it; I can interface with the ship, in the same way that you do via electronic communications, even though you are present elsewhere.”

  “Is that … bad?”

  “No,” she assured. “I am a synthetic person, as I was before you found me. Thanks to you, I have become a fully actualized person and am no longer the ship. Selene’s AI is now her AI and I have made sure that all of the wonderful memories that your wife programmed into her are still there. She is Selene once again.”

  “Selena …”

  “Just Lena,” corrected the gynoid. “I want to be Lena. I like it when you call me that.”

  “Lena … you’re amazing.” He pulled her close and kissed her forehead. “How does the new body compare to the older one?” Kendrick was curious; he noticed that the new body, though built in the image of his late wife, looked like a college coed, appearing roughly nineteen to twenty-one years of age. Her hair, though dark, had been lightened from Selene’s original color to look as though she had spent a lot of time at the beach, and her skin wore a nice, beach tan. As an Escort-7, the body’s feminine curves were accentuated. The face was the same, but not only did she look younger, but also her lips were fuller and her eyes slightly larger.

  “It is weaker. I have no more resistance to small arms fire than you do and I am no stronger than Heather. Perhaps I should start practicing with you, Father Ronan and Mister Mun, as my programming did not include any specific martial arts; the G.A.I.S.F. body was so much stronger and faster than a human, even a Zduhać, that special self-defense routines were never included.”

  “I’d like that, Lena.”

  “So would I, but do you know what I would like more?”

  “What?”

  “Please read to me tonight,” Lena said excitedly. “We finished Fellowship before we got to Venus. I would like to hear the story of the Two Towers.”

  “I would like that very much, Lena.”

  “Thank you, Captain. Now I must insist that you go to your quarters and rest. I want nothing more than to see you healthy and whole again.”

  “Yes, ma’am,” Kendrick said with a chuckle, saluting the gynoid. “I’ll see you tonight, Lena.”

  Fiona had done all that she could for Mun. Now, his fate was literally in the Lord’s hands. It had been a full day since the Captain had woken up and gone to his quarters with explicit instructions not to disturb him. She hoped that he was feeling all right, though she also knew that he needed to get to the Med-Bay so that she could check him. He had been through quite a bit. She silently wondered if her attentiveness had to do with her feelings for him. Regardless, she paged him on the intercom.

  “Good morning, Captain. Are you awake?”

  “Yeah,” he replied. “What’s going on?”

  “I need you to report to the Med-Bay so that I can examine you and clear you for duty.”

  “On my way. Royce out.”

  A few minutes later, the captain walked through the door. He was still very pale and wore jeans and a tank top, eschewing his cyber-suit. His right arm was in a sling and the bandages of his upper left side went partway down his left arm, restricting its movement. In his left hand was a coffee mug that was still half-full. She surmised that he had not been awake long when she paged him, though it was well after nine.

  “Good morning, sunshine,” she greeted, her voice cheerful.

  “Morning, Fi,” he replied as he sat on the table. “So, what are we doing?”

  “Checking you out to make sure that you’re clear to return to duty. I know that this is your ship and that you ultimately make that decision, but as the ship’s doctor, I would like to be able to give you informed advice. Are the pain meds helping?”

  “Yeah, but sleeping was still difficult.”

  Fiona chuckled at his comment, and then began her examination of Kendrick. His shoulder wound from the explosion of the Fujin had healed quite nicely. The gunshot wound sustained on Venus was still fresh, but the stitches were holding and there was no excess bleeding. So long as he did not overdo it, the wound should heal nicely.

  His wrist joint itself was not broken; the V.I.D.A. had actually broken his forearm just above the wrist, and it had not been a clean break. With the aid of the Med-Bay equipment, Fiona had been able to go in and repair the damage. The incisions looked to be healing and like Kendrick’s gunshot wound, the arm would heal if he did not overdo things.

  “No karate chops or sparring until you’re all healed up, Captain,” pronounced Fiona. “And cut back on the coffee while your healing up; caffeine raises the heartrate. Otherwise, you’re cleared for duty.”

  “Thanks, Fi. You know, for all the trouble you’ve caused me since you’ve been on board, I’m glad you’re here.”

  “Ken, I … I caused this,” she cried, suddenly
overcome. “I … I had to make the drop. The stolen biotech; I found a contact and made the drop at the church like he asked. I was shedding the last vestiges of my old life. That put into motion the events that caused Selena to be crippled, and ultimately, you and Mun almost being killed. Mun … he’s still out. I … I am sorry. Can you ever forgive me?”

  Kendrick was silent for a few moments, taking in Fiona’s revelation. He knew that there was more to her going to church than just a hunger for spiritual food, but there was one thing he needed to know.

  “Was Father O’Carmody your contact?”

  She shook her head. “No, he knows nothing of the drop I made.”

  “Where was it before that? I know you didn’t just keep it in your bag.”

  “No, Ken. I … I had stashed it in your amplifier before you walked in on me. I’m sorry I never told you.”

  The captain was silent for a few more moments. He knew he should be livid with her, but Kendrick had been remiss about the stolen biotech, even after it was mentioned by both Fiona and Lorgen, and again by Tanaka. With months since Fiona had stowed away, he had done nothing more to look into the matter. Once Lena had come aboard, Kendrick completely forgot about it. Once they found Lena, he was so overjoyed that he just assumed everything would work itself out. Though everything did work out, there were consequences that he could not begin to estimate.

  On the other hand, Kendrick loved Fiona. There was no denying it now, even if he had not openly expressed as much to her. Fiona had pledged herself to serve as the Selene’s doctor permanently and Lena had been saved, so there was no point in holding a grudge. Moreover, had he not just endangered the lives of everyone in order to save Selena? Was his own motivation any nobler than hers was; which was also to save lives? No, the time for anger had passed. It was time to heal.

  “Fiona, all is forgiven. From now on, promise me that there will be no more deception, no more lies. I … I trust you, but I need to hear it from you.”

  The doctor gently enfolded him in her arms, careful not to press against his injuries and kissed the top of his head.

  “I promise, Ken. I promise. Total transparency from now on, you have my word. Thank you for your kindness. I promise, you won’t regret it.”

  “Thanks for coming clean, Fi. I suppose I’d better get back to my cabin and rest.”

  “If you need me, just call.” Fiona kissed his cheek and smiled. “Anytime, day or night. If you call me, I’m there, Ken.”

  “Thanks, Fi. I just may do that.”

  Doctor Kinsale, Heather and Father O’Carmody ate breakfast together, The priest having prepared the food. Aside from his blessing the meal and a few polite requests to pass food items and condiments, they ate silently. Finally, Heather broke the silence.

  “So, do you think the captain will be back on the bridge anytime soon?” The young engineer posed her question to Father O’Carmody.

  “The captain can fly the ship from his cabin,” explained Ronan. “He probably did that quite a bit before we were here; it only seems weird to us because we’re not used to it. Right now, though, I think the ship is just on autopilot. He’s recovering from a gunshot wound and a broken wrist, so rest is probably his best bet right now. But yes, I think we’ll see him sooner than later.”

  “I hope so,” Heather said wistfully. “Now that it’s quiet, I kind of miss his checking in on the loudspeaker.”

  “He can do that from his quarters too,” Ronan said. “You know, Heather, the captain is quiet because he is an introspective man. He’s a true poet, not an attention-seeking pop star. I know the type. But yes; the Captain’s sense of duty will have him back on the bridge for the benefit of his crew fairly soon.”

  “Yeah, but once we leave Venus’ orbit, where are we heading?” asked Heather.

  “Back to Mars, last I heard,” replied Ronan. “The captain probably has a few landing options that he can exercise without getting caught and that will allow us to get Mun offloaded to a hospital; after which, we take off as fast as our lady can go. Speaking of which, how is he, Doctor?”

  “Same,” Fiona replied. She finished her meal and stood. “I’m sorry. I … I caused all this.” She left abruptly, fighting back tears.

  Heather started to follow the doctor, but Ronan caught her arm and shook his head.

  “She blames herself, but this is not her doing; not in the way that she thinks it is. Give her some space. She needs time to process this. I’ve spoken to her at length; there’s more going on in her head than you know.”

  Fiona finally returned to her quarters, having finished her duties in the Med-Bay, Mun still unconscious. She missed lunch and dinner, having no appetite. Worse still, she could not face the crew. Fiona knew that this was all her fault and she needed time to process her emotions. She had just sat down when her intercom beeped. She let it beep a couple of times before answering, unsure if she really wanted to be chatty right now. Finally, she gave in and answered.

  “Hello?”

  “Doc, it’s the Captain.”

  “Are … you all right?” She hoped that his stitches had not been torn.

  “Yeah, it’s all good. I started The Two Towers tonight with Lena, but after that, I couldn’t get to sleep. I got something on my mind I need to talk to you about. You … said I could call anytime.”

  “I’m … listening,” she said, hoping he was not about to fire her.

  “Not on the intercom; I’m on my way to see you.”

  Moments later, her door chime sounded. Kendrick stood in the hallway when she answered. His dark blond hair, jeans and tee shirt, and arm in a sling were a far cry from the pompadour-topped king of cool she had met in O’Malley’s Pub almost a year ago.

  “Hey,” he said softly, smiling his crooked smile. “Can I come in?”

  “Sure,” she replied, allowing him in. “I was just about to go to bed, but I can stay awake for you. What’s up?”

  Her quarters had a bed, a desk with a chair and a small love seat. He sat on the love seat, silent for a few moments before speaking.

  “I wanted to make sure you were all right, Fi. I know you’re beating yourself up, but you need to stop.”

  Fiona sat down on his left and put her arm around him. “Since Mun has been out, I’ve really taken stock of my life and how I’ve behaved since meeting you. I stole passage and then played games with you. Then I was selfish and deceptive. Though my feelings for you … those are very, very real. But my complete disregard for the safety of all of you, all so I could make that drop is what nearly killed Lena, you and Mun.”

  “But Fi, we won!”

  “It could have been a lot worse, Ken. The Selene could have been shot down before she could rescue us, or the lab could have been on a lower level. Mun could have died … you could have died! Everyone was at risk because I …” Fiona could not continue. She looked down at the floor, still staggered by what a horrible person she had been.

  To her surprise, Kendrick slid his left arm around her and pulled her close, kissing her on the lips. She felt her face turning red and was so shocked that she just sat there, then she relaxed and reciprocated, kissing him fully and romantically for the first time.

  “Been wanting to do that since we sang together on the moon,” he confessed.

  Fiona finally exhaled. The moment was real. “God, I’ve been waiting for you to do that for even longer. But Ken, I …”

  “You came through and us, Fi. It’s over. None of us are who we were six months ago. Remember our conversation about being dead and living the rest of our lives? The person you were is gone, Fi. Be the person you are … the person I fell in love with.”

  “Ken … you love … me?”

  “I said it, didn’t I?”

  Fiona could hardly believe that the man she had fallen in love with had also fallen in love with her. “Yes, you did,” she said looking back at him. There was an intensity in his eyes as he looked at her, a hunger.

  “Ain’t that the way these storie
s are supposed to end? The good guys win, the bad guys lose and the hero gets the girl?”

  “Kendrick, I love you, but are you sure you want me? I mean, you could have … anyone you want.”

  “I coulda had anyone I wanted for five years before we met, Fi. I want you.”

  Fiona gazed into his eyes for a long moment, and then hungrily began kissing him. To her delight, Kendrick reciprocated. She felt the fingertips of his left hand rest on her upper spine, then gently glide downwards, sending thrills through her body and causing her to gasp. He then kissed her neck, nibbling slightly before returning to kissing her lips.

  Fiona could feel her heart still beating fast, and her breaths were deep and heavy. “Stay with me tonight, Ken.” Her voice was barely above a whisper.

  “I’d like that, Fi.”

  Fiona awoke with Kendrick for the second time since meeting him, only this time, there was no guilt, no doubt, no questions. Ken loved her and she loved him with all her heart. She had surprised herself when she asked him to stay with her, but in that moment, Fiona wanted to be with Ken more than anything she had ever wanted. They had not made love; Kendrick was in no condition to do that and Fiona was not ready, but to go to sleep together and to wake up with her arms around him was wonderful.

  “Fi …” Kendrick woke slowly, turning to face her, still groggy with sleep.

  Fiona answered by kissing him. “Good morning, my gentleman captain.”

  “This is nice,” he replied. “We should do this more often … my lovely doctor.”

  “No,” she countered, “We should do this every day, Ken.”

  “I’d like that, Fi. I’d like that a lot.”

  “You know, we do have a priest on board,” she observed.

  “That we do, my love. That we do,” he noted. “But I want to develop our relationship, now that everything is out in the open, really get to know you, Fi.”

  “I’d like that very much, my captain.”

  The couple remained in Fiona’s bed, enjoying each other’s presence and warmth. With Kendrick off duty for at least a week, he had nowhere to be and Fiona had routed all of the Med-Bay alerts to her cabin, and had set up the virtual answering service, which would respond to any incoming calls or patients and alert her. Both she and the captain knew that the calm was only temporary, so it was best to appreciate it to the fullest while it lasted.