Curse of the Altered Moon: Altered Moon Series: Book Two (The Altered Moon Series 2)

by AZ Kelvin

  “Hello, Nelson.” Gina put her hand on his arm, as she leaned in to kiss his cheek, careful not to pull him over.

  “Doctor Katsu and Warren, I trust you both are well? You two look splendid together.” Nelson greeted them warmly.

  “You’re lookin’ good, Nels,” Cal gently shook his hand.

  “Nelson this is incredible.” Cat kissed his cheek as well.

  “Thank you, thank you both.”

  “Nelson, hell of an entrance.”

  “Ah, the young Captain Evermore, hello, hello, yes timing is everything in life, Crucible. Good to see you again.”

  Katy came in for a gentle hug and kissed his cheek, too.

  “Katherine, my, my, I always knew that under the grease and hard work there was a lovely young woman hiding away.”

  Katy smiled with a slight blush and touched his arm, “Thank you, Nelson, for everything you’ve done for me.”

  “It’s a pleasant surprise to see you on your feet, Nelson,” CJ said. “But, I shouldn’t be surprised by anything that you manage to accomplish.”

  “Thank you, Captain, thank you all. Right now I must manage to take a seat. I haven’t been on my feet this much in twenty years.” Nelson turned to Pene as soon as he settled into a chair next to the Na’laann. “And who is our young expert of the Keect’nese language, eh?”

  “My name’s Pene, I mean, Penelope Andrea Burnette, but, I’m no expert, sir. I don’t even know what I’m saying. I just repeated what I heard.”

  “Well, Penelope Andrea Burnette, anything is possible if you try, my child. I am Nelson Trehelion Moon, but you can call me Nelson. May I call you Pene?”

  “Yes sir—Nelson,” Pene corrected herself.

  “Wonderful, wonderful.” Nelson looked over them all. “Yes, wonderful it is to see you all again. It has been too long. There is much to discuss—eh, what?” The master of ceremonies approached and whispered in Nelson’s ear. “Oh, yes, yes, of course, please start right away,” he told the man and turned back to the others. “It seems the performance is about to start, we will talk things over later.”

  The crew took their seats as the lights again dimmed, and the MC introduced the Zzhaakssaa performers.

  The stage went dark as a low rumble began to shake the floor, causing the silverware to jingle on the tables and the beverages to ripple in the glasses. A deep chant joined the rumbling and the two merged into a rhythm. A light tinkling with repeated soft whistles and resounding hums could be heard as they built up in tempo along with the intensity of the deep rumble-chant.

  Ripples of multicolored light pulsed from a single performer at the center of the stage, radiating through the troupe and projecting out past the stage. The pattern grew in tempo with the music when an intense bright flash of light erupted from the center Zzhaakssaa. Several Keect’na performers danced outward with the light patterns as they spread out across the stage. Other performers wove through the troupe and pulsed with complementary or contrasting color patterns of their own.

  Individual Zzhaakssaa performers rotated in to center stage periodically and performed solo dance routines and arias. The sound and light patterns changed and shifted as the performers went through intricate dances in a beautiful presentation of music and light over the next ninety minutes. The intensity of the Zzhaakssaa performance built to a beautiful chaos of intricate and complex blends of music and light, which suddenly faded to silence and darkness.

  All the performers went dark; the only light came up slowly from behind them. A distant call and a soft sequence of light, like lightning in the distant sky, came from one end of the stage and then went out and silent. A responding call sounded from the other end of the stage with another flash of light, which also was followed by darkness and silence. The light displays became more intense as the calls got closer and louder, and eventually they found one another. One by one, each member added their own rhythm of light and sound, ending in a grand finale of pulsing lights and dramatic booms, deep chants and lively song, vocal percussions and shrill whistles. The troupe gathered in the center of the stage as a deep green lightning shot through each performer, and the deep chant and the song reached a crescendo when everything fell dark and silent for the final time.

  The house lights came up while the Zzhaakssaa came to the front of the stage and bowed in response to the thunderous applause from the Humans in the crowd and flashes of appreciation from the Keect’na. The performers left the stage and the audience began to disperse or broke into small groups staying on to speak with the performers. A fair amount of people came to see Nelson, CJ, or the crew.

  Pene stood with CJ and Katy a short time later as they got ready to go. “Captain, I just wanted to say thanks for everything, for giving me a proper place to stay and a job and all.”

  “And new garms.” Katy smiled as she teased Pene.

  “And new garms,” Pene echoed and smiled back.

  “You’re very welcome, Pene.” CJ wrapped his arm around her shoulders. “We’re glad to have you as part of the crew, but don’t let tonight go to your head, my dear, because tomorrow we hang up our finery and get back to work, and you go into flight training.”

  “Flight training, really?” Pene couldn’t contain her excitement. “A pilot? Yippee!”

  “Unless you’d rather stay here, on Cantank—Oh!” CJ couldn’t finish his sentence because Pene jumped up and practically hugged the breath out of him.

  “I’m going to be a pilot!” she turned and yelled out to the room before she remembered where she was and cringed in embarrassment. The room quieted for a second before applause with sporadic calls of amused encouragement and hurrahs broke out from the crowd and from her new crewmates as well.

  The crew said their ‘Good Nights’ to the Na’laann and Crissi as the Keect’na left for their own quarters. Grant came up as soon as he saw a lull in the activity around his group and led them back to their rooms. Nelson and a small entourage of attendants, most of them nurses, joined them for a short distance on the way back. They spoke briefly about Nelson’s visit to Outlook Station and the procedure he underwent. The group set plans for the next day to have a detailed discussion and parted ways.

  “Here we are,” Grant said, as they arrived at their quarters. “I trust that you all enjoyed the evening?”

  “Oh yeaaaah, it was a stellar event,” Cal said, with his usual flourish.

  “It was truly fantastic, Grant,” Boss said as well. “Your service has been exemplary. May I offer you something for your service?”

  “Thank you, no.” Grant raised a hand. “It was my honor and privilege. A peaceful sleep to you all.” The crew bid him good night.

  A few abstract comments about the Zzhaakssaa performance, Nelson and Crissi, the Na’laann, and the dinner, in general, went back and forth before they called it a night and went on to have their first relaxed sleep in weeks.

  CJ and Katy enjoyed disrobing each other and then had a good tumble between the sheets before they finally settled down into bed. His sleep was troubled and restless at best, and his mind wandered, as he tossed and turned until the chrono read zero-five-fifteen. He got up and dressed quietly so he wouldn’t disturb Katy, who was still fast asleep. He went to the common room to look over the info they found at Stile’s Hideaway before anyone else got up.

  Pene looked startled and surprised by CJ’s early appearance. She came to attention. “Good Morning, Captain.”

  “Good Morning, Pene. Relax, there’s no need to be so formal. What are you doing up so early?”

  “Just getting some things out for breakfast.” She continued to put out the edibles. “I have breads, sweet rolls, yogurts, and fruit, or I can fix something else for you.”

  “No, thank you, that will be fine for now.” CJ peered at her; he had a feeling that wasn’t the real reason she was up early.

  She fidgeted a bit under his scrutiny and asked quickly, “May I get you some coffee?”

  “Yes, please. Dark roast with cream a
nd double chocolate.”

  “Aye, aye, sir!” She went off to the galley and returned a short time later with a full coffee service that she parked by the table. She mixed up his brew and handed him the mug.

  “Thank you.” He took it and indicated a seat. “Sit a spell.” She sat on the edge of the seat with her hands folded in her lap. “A lot of change in a short time, huh? You doin’ okay?”

  “Yeah,” she answered slowly. “It’s just so quiet here I can’t fall asleep. In the kitchen, there was always some ‘thing’ making noise. The cooler unit coming on, the water heater gurgling, the steam release going off, or something. Here it’s so quiet; I can hear my own heart beating.”

  “I understand, in a way,” CJ said. “I was born on a ship and raised on a ship; it’s where I feel at home. When I go planet side, it feels weird. I can’t feel the thrum of the deck plates or the ship around me. It’s not like it freaks me out, but sometimes it’s as though the planet’s gravity is trying to pull me down into it. After a few days the sensation fades and then everything’s fine, but then being back in space after that is like coming home.”

  “Please, don’t get me wrong, Captain. There’s no way I’m ever going back there.”

  “I don’t blame you.” He looked at her seriously. “Before we make you a crew member officially, there’s something you need to know. As part of the crew, you need to be aware that we may be headed to an area well outside of Human space. It may even be inside Kang-held territory. The Kang are vicious and the danger is real.” He stopped to make sure it was sinking in. “In my mind, Pene, there are two things: on one hand, I told you that you had a place on the crew and I don’t go back on my word, but on the other hand, I don’t want you to feel pressured to come along, especially if you don’t want to go where we’re going. So, you need to make a serious decision; I’m sure Tad would gladly find a place here for you if you wanted to stay, or you can come with us, and learn the fine art of artifact recovery and resale as an employee of the esteemed West Becreth Trading Company.”

  “I—” she appeared confused for a moment, then shrugged and looked at CJ, “just want to stay with you guys, so, the last one.”

  “Stellar!” He thumped on the table hard enough to make her jump and laugh. “Very well then, Cook Burnette”—he drained the last of his coffee—“your captain’s cup is empty and he finds himself in need of a sweet roll.”

  “Beggin’ the captain’s pardon, I’ll get that filled right away.” Pene grabbed his mug. “And, if the captain would care to stretch out an arm, he may find that the sweet rolls are already within his reach.”

  “Ha! Ha!” CJ laughed out loud with a big smile. “Such impudence, such audacity!” He easily reached over to the pile of sweet rolls and picked one to munch on.

  “What in the cosmos is going on out here? Hey, is that a sweet roll?” Katy came out of their quarters in her fuzzy white hoodie and pants. She yawned while she rubbed the sleep out of her eyes.

  “Oh, sorry dear, but I had to address the outrageous behavior of our newest crew member.” CJ continued to tease Pene, who handed him a full cup of coffee.

  “May I get you some coffee, K—ah, Chief?” Pene asked.

  “Pleeve,” Katy said, around a mouthful of sweet roll, “cmaamum n crm, pleeve”

  Pene cocked an ear toward Katy. “Sorry, I didn’t catch that.”

  “That was cinnamon and cream, and she takes a medium roast, Pene,” CJ translated.

  “Roger that.”

  “Tnnkf,” Katy said to CJ, now as a joke.

  “So, did you really mean what you said last night?” Pene asked CJ, as she gave Katy her coffee.

  “About flight training? Absolutely. But, you have a lot of work to do during the next couple of weeks while the ship is repaired. At thirteen, you’d already be done with preflight navigation in the Career Academy. You’ll have to know how to determine your own position, find a destination, and plot a course, before you even crawl into a simulator, and you’ll need to accrue a bazillion sim hours just to sit in an actual cockpit. All while”—he looked directly at her—“you maintain above average grades in a general education program put together by GABI and I. Understood?”

  Pene just smiled from ear to ear. “Yes, sir.”

  “And,” CJ continued pointedly, “Gina will be your instructor, so consider yourself lucky to be in the hands of one of the best pilots out there, and one of the orneriest, as well. I wouldn’t do anything to piss her off.”

  Katy threw CJ a skeptical look, as she slurped her coffee to wash down the sweet roll.

  “Well, I mean—if I was Pene, I wouldn’t—you know…,” he tried to elaborate knowing he’d managed to piss Gina off a number of times already. “Speak of the deviltress,” CJ said to Gina, as she approached the table, and in return she gave CJ the scrunchie-faced ‘piss-off’ smile.

  CJ smiled widely and ‘smooched’ his lips at Gina, which earned him her narrowed eyes. He returned the look then asked, “How’s Boss?”

  Gina dropped the evil eye routine and smiled. “He’s fine. He’ll be out shortly. He’s kinda freaked over the whole ‘Nelson’s procedure’ thing.”

  “Yeah, no shit, Nelson up and walking, wow,” Katy said. “Did he tell you guys anything about it?”

  “No, not really, except that the Keect’na had something to do with it,” Gina said. “Pene, did you make all this?”

  “Well, no, I called the steward service, actually.” Pene smiled sheepishly. “Coffee?”

  “No, thanks just water. This place is so dry, it gives me a headache.” Gina looked at CJ. “So, FT for P today?”

  “Yes! Flight Training for Pene today!”

  The rehash got a fist pump and a “Yea!” from Pene, who had just set down two steaming trays of breakfast meats and flapjacks.

  “I smell flapjacks!” Boss bellowed from his quarters before the door was even completely open.

  He cruised over in his chair with the look of a crazed man. His grey-flecked, medium-thick afro smashed flat to one side of his head, and the wrinkles of sleep folds covered half of his face. He pulled right up to the table and thanked Pene for the plate she handed him, which he began to fill with just about everything. “Ahh that smells absolutely wonderful, Pene! Good morning everyone. Hiring a cook was a brilliant idea, CJ.”

  “You better ring Cat and Cal before there isn’t anything left.” Gina shook her head as she watched Boss pile it on.

  The need to call them wasn’t necessary due to Boss’ bellow earlier; it roused them and probably half the base. Cat and Cal joined the others at the table, as Pene, with Katy’s help, brought out more trays from the galley, and a full breakfast ensued. Only GABI was mysteriously absent.

  An incoming call buzzed on the comms. “Good morning, this is Grant. Just wanted to make sure the breakfast service went okay.”

  “Yes, Grant,” Pene answered after CJ indicated she should take the call. “Everything was perfect, thank you.”

  “Very good. Mr. Moon has requested that you all join him in dry dock three’s observation room at ten hundred hours for a ‘circle jerk’—his words.”

  “Understood, Grant,” Boss answered this time. “Please relay that we will attend his ‘circle jerk.’”

  “Yes, will do. I’ll send a crew to clean up the breakfast service shortly. Call if you need anything else.” The open comms light went off.

  “I need to meet with the repair crew in thirty minutes,” Katy told everyone. “So I’ll catch up with you guys later at the meeting.” She kissed CJ and went to change into something more suitable for banging on hull panels.

  “See ya,” CJ said to her and turned to the others. “Gina, take Pene through a placement test and see where we need to start her training. Cat, you and Cal find everything that you can about the Kang, the Keect’na, and the Blood Stars and upload it to the Moon. Boss and I will work on a game plan. We have about two and a half hours to prep for this meeting with Nelson. Let’s get started.�
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  *~*~*

  Chapter Eighteen

  CJ with Boss, Cat, and Cal, were the first to arrive in the observation room overlooking dry dock three, where the Altered Moon was already under repair. CJ could see Katy on a work platform hovering over the mangled shuttle bay doors. She pointed at something at the edge of the opening while she spoke with two other repair personnel. Several sections of damaged hull plating had been removed and the Altered Moon looked like the proverbial jigsaw puzzle with a few pieces gone.

  “She’ll be right as rain in no time, Cap,” Cal said, as he rocked forward on the balls of his feet with a little bounce, his hands clasped behind his back. Boss and Cat joined them at the window to see what was going on.

  “Nelson said something about upgrades to the ship,” Cat said to anyone who was listening.

  “Yes, I suppose that we’ll find out about all that today,” Boss answered.

  The door slid open just then and the small group of Nelson, Tad and Snow, Gina, and Pene came into the room in the middle of Nelson talking about Keect. Two nurses brought in a special chair for Nelson and waited outside the door in case he needed anything. CJ turned back around to face out the window again and was startled by Katy’s smiling face, as she hovered only a meter or so away on the other side of the observation window.

  “Hey, Chief,” he said under his breath. He waved because he knew she couldn’t hear him through the window. She motioned to her wrist and then put up her index finger. He nodded to acknowledge he understood she would be there in a minute. He joined the others at the oval table at the center of the room, which was being set up with a beverage service and two large bowls of popped corn. Pene picked up a piece of the exploded corn kernel, looked it over, and looked at Gina.

  Gina nodded her head. “Try it. Better have some now, before the Chief gets here. That’s her favorite stuff.”

  Pene’s eyebrows rose, as she ate the soft, yet crunchy morsel. “Hey, that’s pretty good.” She ate a few more pieces from the pile before she filled a small bowl of her own to munch on. “What is it?”