by AZ Kelvin
“Children? Gentlemen, I do have to ask, because my superiors will ask me,” Captain Frasier said straightforwardly. “What was the reason for such a concentrated Blood Star attack here?”
After a look of acquiescence between them, CJ and Nelson, with help from Gina and Cal, related the tail of events that had transpired since their meeting with Tuffy Polenz up until that day. The tale was told, of course, by the humble merchants of the West Becreth Trading Company. CJ made a point of expressing the efforts of Che Talos and her squad to help in the defense against McCarthy’s attack on the base, as well as the attack not being sanctioned by Blood Star Command.
After listening to the story, Captain Frasier looked at CJ and said with no small awareness of covert activities, “You certainly find your share of trouble for simple merchants, Captain Evermore.”
“Some days, more than our share, I think,” CJ said with a smirk.
“What are your plans now?”
“Well, Captain, if we’re not needed here, then we’ll be on our way to get Cai and Andi back to their family.”
“Don’t forget about Leland,” Cal reminded him.
“Ooh, yeah, thanks, we’re looking for a man named Leland Stile who was supposed to meet us here before the attack,” CJ said to Nelson, but Tad answered instead.
“Guest quarters, three-oh-six, on the east side of the promenade,” he said slowly, with his eyes closed.
Nelson motioned to a couple of aides, who came up to help Tad to his quarters. He resisted at first, but then didn’t have the strength to argue and went along with them.
“Before you go, Captain, there’s something I’d like to show you.” A cryptic half smile crept across his face.
“Yeah, okay, gimme a sec, Nelson.” CJ turned to Captain Frasier and extended his hand. “Captain, thanks again for your help. I hope that when this is wrapped up, we can meet again sometime.”
“My hatch is always open.” Frasier gripped CJ’s hand and gave it a shake. He bestowed an ancient Earth seafarer’s blessing: “May your horizons always be clear and the stars guide your way, Captain.”
“And long may yer jib draw a fair wind, sir,” CJ quoted back, and they both laughed.
CJ turned to where Gina and Cal talked quietly with Crissi.
“SeeShay,” she said to him as he walked up. Crissi had adopted ‘SeeShay’ as a nickname for CJ some time ago and it stuck.
“Ahh, Crissi, Crissi, Commodore Crissi, it is, even.” He carefully gave her a hug, which she returned just as carefully.
“Sstilll jausst frrenndss,” she said to them all.
“Yes, yes indeed!” CJ agreed. “We’re going to visit Keect soon, so Boss can have his surgery done.”
“Yessss,” she said, as she glowed with the rose of love, mixed with the green of friendship, but with yellow streaks of concern. She knew the dangers and pain Boss would have to endure during the procedure.
“Can you meet us there?”
“Zzhnn jha!” CJ had been around her and other Keect’na enough now to know that was a strong affirmative; in Human slang it meant, “Hell yes!”
“Great! It won’t be until after we drop off the VerNeer kids, so we’ll give you a call on the way back, eh?”
“Jha,” she said to him and, “Eealann Na’Hann” to them all.
The group said farewell to Commodore Crissiael and Captain Frasier then followed Nelson back down the corridor until they came to Dry Dock Two.
“She is not done, by any means,” Nelson began, just outside the closed door to the dry dock, “and with current events, she may have to wait a while longer yet, but I would like you all to meet—Slipshot.”
Nelson opened the doors; CJ, Gina, and Cal got their first glimpse at Nelson’s new project, which he’d started when they left. The top half of the ship was still just framing and internal construction, but the bottom half was already skinned in hull plating identical to the Altered Moon’s.
“Is that SlyCore?” CJ asked as he walked slowly around the partially built shuttle.
“Yes, yes, SlyCore stealth hull technology infused with Keect’na shielding,” Nelson said in admiration. “Standard Inner System Engine, burst-fire thrusters, fore and aft particle cannons, three stationary falconets on each side, and capable of transmitting a sensor ghost ten kilometers away.”
“Really?” Cal said hungrily. “Wow, this is stellar! Slipshot? Why that name?”
“Because, my silver-eyed friend,” Nelson said with a grin, “she can come at you sideways.” They all laughed; it was strained and short, but it did them some good.
“What are falconets?” CJ had to ask.
“Small but powerful photonic cannons, Cap,” Cal answered. “They’re a single shot and it takes a while to recharge, but they could come in handy.”
“Then why aren’t they on my boat?” CJ asked both Cal and Nelson, which caught them both by surprise.
Cal looked at CJ questioningly, but then nodded his head and smiled, “Broadsides?”
“Yeah,” CJ said slyly and nodded his head back at Cal.
“Hmm, interesting. A situation easily remedied, Captain, I assure you,” Nelson said.
“I will hold you to that,” CJ said.
“That’s quite a sneaky ship, Nelson,” Gina said. “Where are you planning on going with it?”
“Oh, oh, not me, Gina, my dear.” Nelson clasped his hands behind his back. “Slipshot is for the Altered Moon.”
“You’re replacing Moonshadow with this?” Gina asked.
“No, no,” Nelson said. “Slipshot will dock beneath the ship, behind the ventral cargo bay. An existing void between the bottom of the engine assembly and the outer hull has already been modified during the refit.”
CJ crossed his arms and narrowed his eyes. “Anything else you just happened to have done to my ship without telling me, Nelson?”
“Just an unfinished aspect of the original design, Captain,” Nelson said.
CJ took another look at Slipshot and turned to Nelson. “Well, thank you, Nelson. She’ll be a fine addition to the Moon’s complement.”
“I wanted you to see her today for some reason.”
“Something to look forward to,” Gina said, and she was right.
“Yes, indeed. Now, I don’t want to hold you up any further,” Nelson said. “The VerNeer family has waited long enough. Safe travels to you all, and I will come to Keect as soon as I have the chance.”
“Best of luck here, Nelson,” CJ said.
The group went back to the promenade in search of Leland’s room, but they found him helping set up the recovery area. CJ went to talk to him while Gina and Cal went to tell Cat about Slipshot.
“Leland.” CJ walked up and grabbed one end of a large table Leland was trying to move against the wall.
“Captain Evermore, eh, thanks. Feelin’ my years today. Pene not with ya? How is she?”
“No, we didn’t know what we’d find here. She’s doing great, Leland. Almost done with pilot training.”
“No, so soon?” Leland said in disbelief.
“Yes. Call her while we’re still here. She’s on the ship.”
“Yes, maybe I will. But, Captain, the survey ship took some heavy damage. I don’t think that it’ll fly again and I told Rylek I’d return it after I got Skiff up and runnin’.”
“Forget about it. I’ll square it with him. It was my decision. How are you going to get back to Stile’s Hideaway then, if you don’t have a ship?”
“They’re gonna need help here, for a while. I’m sure I can barter a ride.”
“We have a few things to take care of first, Leland, but if you don’t have a way back by the time we come back through here, we’ll give you a lift. If you want to talk to Pene, do it soon, because once I collect my doctor, we’re on our way.”
“Come to my room first.” Leland led the way to his quarters. “Whatever happened with that Find of the Century thing?”
“Oh, that’s right, you don’t know.
It was the find of two centuries, Leland.” CJ quickly related the tale of what, of whom actually, they found at the end of his dad’s treasure hunt.
Leland sat silent for a moment and absorbed the story, “By the Stars, I’d never’ve imagined that things would work out like this. Ironic thing is—he left us to hunt down a treasure ended up bein’ someone else’s family.”
“Leland—” CJ started to say.
“No, Captain, I’ve changed my mind,” Leland said, with a set jaw. “I’m gonna sell that rock out there and everythin’ in it. Then I’m gonna find a place to live out the rest of my years in the sun.”
“Well, there’s not a thing wrong with that.”
“And here—you can take this blasted thing.” Leland handed CJ a heavy wrapped bundle.
CJ lifted part of the wrapping to reveal an ornate gold statuette of a man sitting inside a globe of stars, held by an angry and strange-looking beast.
“What is it?”
“I don’t know and I don’t wanna know. If you don’t mind, I’d like to talk to Pene now.”
“Of course. If you change your mind, the offer of a ride still stands. Take care, Leland.”
“You and your crew as well, Captain,” Leland said, with a nod as the door slid shut.
CJ filled in the others when he got back to the promenade and briefly peeled an edge of the wrapping away from the statuette to show them.
“What is that?” Gina asked.
“I don’t know,” CJ said.
“Is it real gold?” Cal asked.
“I don’t know, but it’s heavy enough.”
“Who’s that guy?” Cat asked.
“Ivan,” CJ said.
“Ivan—Ivan who?” Gina asked.
“Ivan Noidea.” CJ and Cal laughed at the joke by themselves. Cat groaned and Gina just shook her head. “On that note, shall we depart?”
The condition of the base was far better in the short time they had been there. Dangerous areas had been cordoned off and damaged areas were already under repair. It wouldn’t be long before Cantankerous Base was open for business again. The group loaded up and Gina flew them back home to the Altered Moon. CJ stopped in to talk with Cai and Andi about how they might want to meet their family.
“What do you mean?” Cai asked.
“Well, I’m going to contact them right now. Would you like to be there?”
“Yes,” he said, “I guess so, anyway.”
“Good.” CJ said and gripped the boy’s shoulder. “You know, you two, there’s bound to be some suspicion at first that you’re not who we say you are. I want you to know ahead of time the suspicion will be on me and my crew, not on you two.”
“Will they think that you’re lying?” Andi asked.
“Yeah, Andi, they might,” CJ admitted.
“I’ll tell them you’re not,” she said sternly.
CJ smiled. “Thanks, sweetie.” He winked at her. “One look at you and they’ll all snap to.”
“Snap to?” she asked.
“Yeah, it means come to attention and salute,” Cai said eagerly.
“That’s right. So, I’m going to try to contact your family and I’ll let you know when I reach someone. Okay?”
Cai and Andi both nodded.
“Are you comfortable? Pene taking good care of you?”
They both nodded again, but with smiles and giggles.
“Yeah, good.” He looked at Pene, who smiled and shrugged. “Did you talk with Leland?”
“Yeah,” she said, with a touch of sadness.
“We’ll see him again, I expect.”
“Hmm, you and I expect different things—sometimes.”
“I expect things will get better over time,” he answered back with a wink.
Pene smiled. “I expect so.”
“I will be on the bridge,” he said, as he left.
“Coffee?” she called after him.
“Sure!”
“GABI, jump us back home to Marlacuer space, Aequus Star System if you please.” He took his place in the captain’s chair.
“Aye, sir.”
“Did you get a chance to speak with Nelson?” CJ asked GABI.
“Yes, Captain. He uploaded some schematics on Slipshot.”
“Oh, stellar. Push a copy of those to the command station, will you? Boss, did you see the specs on Slipshot?”
“Yes, I did. Looks like a fun new toy.”
“Indeed, indeed, and look here.” CJ opened the wrappings from the bundle he got from Leland.
“That’s Leland’s artifact?” Boss became more interested as he looked over the statuette.
“Yeah, weird, huh?”
“Weird is right. I’ve never seen this interpretation of a Snallygaster before.”
“A—a what—a snally—?” CJ stumbled over the word.
“—gaster, Snallygaster,” Boss finished for him. “A Snallygaster is a mythical dragon-like beast from ancient Earth, specifically the southeast coast of the North American Continent around the early seventeen hundreds. As you can see here, it has a reptilian body with bird-like wings and the head of a demon, with octopus-style tentacles surrounding its mouth. But, the guy sitting inside a sphere of seven pointed stars—I have no idea who that is, but he seems to really piss off the Snallygaster.”
CJ laughed when Boss said ‘I have no idea,’ but Boss just looked at him.
“Ah, never mind,” CJ said awkwardly, “Inside joke.”
Boss poked a hexagonal button on the side opening a panel on the bottom of the statuette.
“What’s that?” CJ asked as he looked closer.
“Power ports and anchor cleats. This connects to something!” Boss said excitedly.
“Can we power it up?”
“Captain, I strongly recommend against that,” GABI spoke up.
“Captain, I strongly agree with GABI,” Gina said.
“Just asking, ladies,” CJ said to forestall further protests.
“This is all custom work, anyway,” Boss said. “Only what was made for it will fit into these ports.”
“What would something like this do?”
“Captain, this could be a custom holiday decoration, for all we know. We should run a metallurgical scan. I don’t remember anything like this in the antiquity catalogs.”
“Well, we’ll add it to our mystery collection for now,” CJ said. “But something tells me that it’s more than just a decoration.”
“We’ve arrived at the Aequus Star System, Captain,”
“Thank you, GABI. Boss, contact VerNeer Agro, and let’s get the ball rolling.”
“Aye, Captain.” He began to search for contact information on the company.
*~*~*
Chapter Thirty-Six
CJ and Boss managed to weed their way through the corporate jungle of the VerNeer Agro and Produce Company and finally, after several hours, reached an actual member of the VerNeer family. After a lengthy conversation, CJ had barely convinced the man, Walden VerNeer, to even hear them out. This wouldn’t be the first time someone crawled out of the woodwork to claim they were the long-lost VerNeer twins.
“At least let me send you the medical data,” CJ argued.
“Medical data can be falsified, Captain,” Walden said back.
“Have your own tests done.”
Walden stopped to let out an exasperated sigh.
“What if we’re telling the truth,” CJ said, “and we go somewhere else. We could go to Galactic Media and they could do a test there. I’m sure they would be most cooperative. How would it look to the people of Revellia, not to mention your own family, that you turned us away?”
Walden immediately dropped the ‘I’m too busy to pay attention to you’ act. “No—ah,” he said quickly and then continued, “no, Captain, that won’t be necessary. I would be glad to review the medical data.”
“Boss, send him the file.” CJ poked the galley icon, “Pene, bring Cai and Andi up to the bridge, please.”
“Roger dodger.”
Walden VerNeer studied the medical file with a man in a suit and a woman in a laboratory overcoat for several minutes. Pene and the twins entered the bridge and CJ told them to come up and stand at the command station. Walden and the two people with him all looked up and saw the children who stood next to CJ. The three of them were stunned speechless as they realized the historic importance of these children. Walden said something to the suited man who then went over to a comms console.
“Hello children,” Walden said, “My name is Walden VerNeer, I’m—well I don’t quite know what I am to you, a cousin or nephew, several times removed I imagine, but this is a remarkable day, indeed. Welcome home.”
The twins said hello back and thank you.
The suited man whispered in Walden’s ear, which after all they’d been through, roused CJ’s wariness. The concern was unfounded as Walden turned to them. “Captain Evermore, you are clear to proceed without delay to Revellia, the headquarters of our company and the home planet of the VerNeer family. Thank you, Captain. You’ve done our family a great service.”
“It was an effort of many people, sir.”
“Our gratitude goes out to every one of them. Here are your landing coordinates on Revellia. My cousin Tarrian will meet you when you land. Peace be with you and your crew.”
“Thank you, and peace be with you, sir,” CJ said and the channel closed. He turned to Cai and Andi. “Okay, kids, you’re going home.”
Cai and Andi smiled and laughed with Pene and asked a hundred questions at once.
“Whoa! Whoa! Whoa! Calm down,” CJ said over the noise. “Plenty of time for questions later. Right now, go with Pene and get spiffy. You’ll want to look your best when you see your family. Right? Okay, off you go.”
CJ watched as Pene and the twins excitedly hurried off to get ready.
“Gina, take us in to Revellia, please.”
“Aye, sir.”
“The VerNeer aristocracy goes back for—well, a really long time,” CJ said to the rest of his crew on the bridge. “So, be on best behaviors all around, or stay aboard the ship, that’s an order.” He added a special glance at Cal.
“Aye, Cap’n!” Cal answered immediately and clearly.
“I find that it is very difficult to trip over your tongue if you keep your mouth full of food,” Boss said helpfully.
