Chapter 32 Sanre-tay Days 14 –18 The End of Our Idle Days
01
The eeriness had evaporated by the time I awoke the next day, leaving only a vague sense of unease. Unease was nothing new, and no plans needed to be changed. I was, however, restless and weary of both the vague threats and all the little details that seem to fill so much of my time so I decided to take a holiday off ship and alone. The buggy racing crew had the long boat, so I signaled Kan, packed a generous picnic lunch from the bistro, and told Lili, who had the watch, that I'd be gone all day. I'd Kan drop me off at the landing field we'd used the other day to go to The Met and took the levatrain to the crater with the lake and pine forests.
I left the platform with a surging crowd of bounding children and their already harried parents. Beyond the broad strand of food stands, dance halls and gaming casinos, was a wide sand beach, already crowded. I didn't linger – I wanted solitude, so I struck out for the paths around the rocky shore of the placid lake and soon found the touch of nature I needed amongst the pines. I spent the day hiking up and down the hills and around the lake, stopping once to strip and swim in a sandy cove. Low gravity swimming is different than on a planet, the action of the water and waves are exaggerated and seemingly in slow motion. After swimming, I'd rested in the warm sunlight and had lunch. I'll admit to playing games to see if I was being followed, but found nothing to alarm me. I had the trails mostly to myself as this was a work day on Lontria. The sun was below the crater wall by the time I arrived back at the pale beach, now largely deserted in the deepening gloom, though the bright-lit establishments along the strand were in full swing with music and crowds. I hurried through them, and caught the next levatrain back to the landing field crater. By the time Kan arrived, I was feeling stiff, tired, and sore.
Vynnia and Tenry were waiting in ambush when I arrived, so I waved them into my office, slid the panel closed and settling on to a chair with a sigh, stretched out my aching legs.
'Hard day, Skipper?' asked Tenry.
'I may have overdone my hiking a wee bit. Still I made it all the way around that lake we passed the other day.'
'Two or three kilometers?' he asked innocently.
'I believe it was twenty, not counting all the ins and outs, ups and downs,' I replied, too tired to take offense. 'Sorry I didn't see you last night or this morning. I needed some time alone. Did Min have anything interesting to say?'
'We'd a long visit. I don't know if you've had a chance to check your messages, but she's decided it's pointless to wait and you should be prepared to depart as soon as the new missiles are on board.'
I sat up straighter – likely a response to yesterday's encounter. 'Suits me. It's costing credits every day we stay with little prospect of a cargo. Even Rafe is discouraged. Did she say where she's sending us?'
'LaTrina, Aticor. It's the main hub for Aticor's trade with the drifts. She thinks it offers the best chance of finding work quickly. She sent along the shipping intelligence she's gathered to go over at your leisure,' replied Vynnia, watching me closely, 'And with that decision, Captain, I believe Ten and I need to make something clear.'
'Yes... Launch at will.' It'd be no surprise, I was sure. Wish I knew what I was going to say.
'Talley has been trying to get Ten and I to agree to stay with the ship. We've not agreed to that...'
'Ah, yes, we're in a bit of a drift aren't we?'
Vynnia nodded curtly. 'Yes, we are. We signed on with the idea that's we'd be able to look after Talley. You're aware of her ideas concerning the nature of her parents' death, and her desire to solve the mysteries surrounding it, so you can understand our concern. She's old enough to be on her own, but if she's right, I believe she'll need our help. She may've told you how Ten and I feel about what happened to her parents. Nothing to be done about that now, but we won't fail their daughter, whether she wants us along or not. So you see, Captain, if she does not sail, we'll stay and attempt to travel with her. With the sailing date now only a week away, we wanted to make certain our situation and our intentions clear. We'd not want to leave you in the lurch.'
'Well, Vyn, I never believed Min could convince you to stay. And while I want to keep you both on board, if Min doesn't join us, I'd want you at her side. The problem is, she's made it clear to all of us, that she doesn't want company, and plans to avoid it for the same reason she doesn't want to sail with us...'
'Which is? She's been vague about that.'
'She feels she's a target and anyone close could be in the line of fire. Which is exactly why I'd like to see you travel with her – if she can't be convinced to sail with us...' That may have come out a little awkward. Tenry grinned.
I looked to Tenry and Vynnia. 'However, are we in agreement that her best course is to sail aboard the Lost Star?'
'Aye, Skipper,' replied Tenry.
'Yes, but do you think so?' asked Vynnia. 'You don't seem to be trying very hard to change her mind, especially since you seem so well informed of her plans...'
In a society as small as a space ship, lies have a short half-life and bring only grief. I knew I couldn't lie. On the other hand, operational secrecy, is sometimes necessary. I'd a fine course to thread, though the uncertainties in my own thinking would likely provide the cover I needed.
'When I signed on, I did so after weighing the strengths and weaknesses of my potential owner. The last thing a captain wants is an unreliable owner. I felt that Min, though young and inexperienced in the trade, had the counterbalancing attributes of being smart, responsible, determined and very brave, so I accepted her offer. You can hardly expect me, two months later, to try to bully her into changing a course of action simply because I don't think it's wise. She knows what I think and still doesn't want to sail with us because she fears she'll be a danger to all of us. I've tried to assure her any such danger is minimal and manageable, but in the end it's her call as owner and I have to accept that or resign – which I'd do if either of you would accept this job.' I looked to them.
'That would serve no purpose,' said Vynnia. Not a stirring vote of support, but well...
'Right. Now I've come around, reluctantly, to see that she'll not settle for anything less than discovering the heart of the mystery surrounding her parents. I think the advantages of sailing with us to do so far outweighs any minor risks she brings, and have tried to make that case. But haven't pushed my case because I don't think the time is right.'
'And when will the time be right?' asked Vynnia watching me carefully.
'The prospect of separation is too far in the future to make the case. But logic of our case, with an emotional appeal at the right time – which I believe is just before we sail – may well bring her around. It's one thing to spend a few weeks alone, it's another to say goodbye to everyone you know, perhaps forever. I'm certain that between the three of us, we can make a logical and emotional case that she should, at the very least, sail to LaTrina with us, if only to save substantial credits on a sleeper-pod passage. She could still go on her own way after reaching LaTrina, though I'm confident that after two hundred days aboard, it'll be home and she'll have come around to seeing the advantages of staying on.'
'And what sort of emotional appeal are you planning to make?' asked Vynnia with piercing look.
'Simply that the Lost Star is hers. It was central to her parents' and uncle's early lives and that Hawker gave her the ship for far more than making a dividend. The mystery of the Four Shipmates begins here. She owes it to her Uncle Hawk to take more than ownership – she must take possession of it as well,' I replied readily enough. I don't know exactly what Vynnia expected me to say, but I don't think she was convinced since she said nothing, just watched me.
'You think that'll lift?' asked Ten.
'I do. I used a similar approach to get her to consider signing on as pilot before she even knew she inherited it. I think it will work because I think it's true, and she knows it.'
'Maybe,' allowed Vynnia.
&nb
sp; 'We'll all work together when the time comes. I'm confident our different approaches will tip the balance our way by the time we sail,' I said, and leaning forward, I added earnestly, 'I give you my word of honor that all three of you sail aboard the Lost Star or none of you. If we can't get Min to change her mind, I want you to stay close to her. However, I intend to do everything in my power to convince her to sail with us. Can I count on your support?'
'Aye, Skipper, replied Ten.
'I have your word of honor that we'll be free to follow Min if you can't bring her aboard?' asked Vynnia.
'Yes. The three of you or none of you. However, I'm as certain as I can be in this quantum universe, that we can bring her around, Vyn. With the three of us working together...'
'All right, Captain, we'll play it your way. Not that we have a choice...' admitted Vynnia.
I let out a breath, but only after they left. I wish I knew my true course. Seeing Min freer and happier here on Lontria had clouded the case I'd been making that I'd a duty to her and the ship to decide, based on my more extensive experience, what was best for both of them. The incident at the races had only made my confusion worse. It brought home not only how much danger Min might be in, but the reality of her concerns as well. Unless Min gave me permission to tell the others of the assassination attempt, it was left to me to decide whether or not to accept her decision. I could find no clear channel out of that drift.
02
Later that evening, I was keeping Illy company in the dim-lit bridge during her watch when Molaye docked the gig on the port gangplank. It was late and I'd just about gathered the energy needed to detach my trouser seat from the engine station control console where I was lounging to retire to quarters, when we heard an urgent semi-hushed discussion, a rather one sided, coming from the landing stage well. I glanced a wordless question at Illy who shrugged. I swung my feet to the deck and slipped out into the night-lit passage to see what warranted the urgent whispers.
Molaye and Kie drifted up the well from the landing stage, Molaye very gingerly swinging herself on to the deck, while Kie planted himself on the deck beside her. Molaye is tall and willowy elegant, Kie is big and square, built like a spaceer dive's bouncer. Despite his looks, he's a quiet, shy, and even tempered young man with a prodigious knack for both system hardware and software, a worthy student of Rafe. At this moment, however, he was being neither very quiet or even tempered.
'You're not fine,' hissed Kie attempting to keep his voice down.
Seeing how painfully Molaye seemed to move and how Kie was so upset, I stepped out into the main traverse passage, startling them.
'Are you alright Molaye?' I asked with concern.
Molaye nodded her head Yes but before she could answer Kie exclaimed, 'No she's not. Just look at her Captain, she can't move without something hurting. It's that Neb blasted buggy racing. She won't listen to me...'
'I'm fine, Captain,' said Molaye, breaking in. 'I'm just a little stiff and sore from getting jostled in the buggy. Nothing serious.'
'It's all those bumps and crashes they want her to do just to hide her skill...'
'I told you, that's part of the sport. Did it all the time. I'm just not in shape yet...'
Kie was smart enough to appeal to me, 'It's all this looking bad stuff, sir. This getting bounced by boulders and bumped by other buggies just to get better odds on her. It's not fair she has to take a beating just to win a few credits. You can't let them do that to her, Captain!' he exclaimed, and, perhaps realizing that he probably shouldn't tell his captain what he can't let them do, added, 'I'm sorry, sir, but they're not treating her fairly.'
'I want to do it. It's fun,' said Molaye gallantly. 'I don't mind, it's part of the game. If I'm to beat Az, I'll need for him to underestimate me. It's all necessary.'
'I was given to understand that buggy racing was as safe as sitting on a park bench. I've enough to worry about with my other two pilots, I don't need to worry about you as well,' I said.
'It is safe. I'm well secured in my seat and you really can't damage the driver compartment in low gravity racing. It's just that when you get bounced, tossed, or bumped you find yourself going several ways at once, and it takes time to get back into the groove of automatically anticipating and adjusting to every move. I just have a few aches from trying too hard to stay on top of the situation. I'm this way at the start of every season...'
'You're a good shipmate, but you don't have to play that game for the gang. They don't need the credits and it'll be years before we cross orbits with the Starsilver again, so even bragging rights means next to nothing.'
'I still want to do it. Kie is just being over protective.' she said boldly meeting my gaze, but adding, 'Skipper.'
Kie was about to object, but I cut him off with a somewhat grim laugh.
'Kie, if you grab the tail of a drift comet you can expect a wild ride,' I said. 'Believe me, I can sympathize, I've got my own share of comets keeping me awake at night. Still, she's worth it.' I try not to have favorites, but Molaye was my first apprentice and I admire her talent and her style. I'd not want it crimped.
He looked at her and nodded.
But like Kie, I also didn't want her banged up just to slip one over on the Starsilver. 'However,' I continued, seeing my way out of this drift. 'I'm afraid duty calls. I've just received the word – we're to sail as soon we exchange our missiles and fuel up. The & Kin armory ship will be alongside in five days, and I'll want everyone on board by that evening. That leaves you only four days to get that race against Az. I don't know if it's possible, but I doubt you can afford to deliberately lose another race if that's your final goal.'
'We're off in five days?'
'Six or so depending on fueling. But I'll want everyone on board before fueling, so our idle days are fast coming to an end. Buggy racing and downside leaves are going to have to be wrapped up in the next couple of days.'
She considered this and nodded. 'It can be done. Is that all? I'd best stop at the medic bay before getting some sleep. I'll be right in the morning.'
'Right. Good night,' I added, nodding to each.
'Good night, Captain,' they said.
I watched Molaye gingerly make her way to the main well and disappear into the darkness.
03
Our idle days were, indeed, over. Everyone now had not only their professional duties to look after, but personal details to attend to as well – like routing their mail to LaTrina, moving their credit to accounts they could access in the Aticor out of system, and buying anything they thought they'd need to get through the long voyage, as well as wrapping up their social lives and saying goodbyes to their mates.
We were about to set out on a whole different type of voyage than I'd known. The Unity Standard astronomical unit (au) is 150 million kilometers, and during the course of one 180-day journey around Azminn, cutting corners, we covered a bit over 3 aus or about 450 million kilometers depending on our planets of call. (Our cross system Calissant to Tiladore run of 2 aus took us 14 days, by comparison.) Of course, more than half that time was spent in orbit, with only two to six days under power sailing planet to planet. Our passage to LaTrina, on the other hand, would take, according to the optimal fuel/time course Vyn and I worked out, 201 days, with 15 days of acceleration and a similar amount to decelerate to cover the 151 aus or over 23 billion kilometers. Our average speed would be nearly an order of magnitude faster than even our Tiladore cross system run.
The Azminn to Aticor is not a densely traveled space lane even in the best of times, so we'd be on our own most of the passage. There's only so much maintenance that needs to be done, only so many fuel pumps and circuit boards that could be rebuilt or swapped out and reprinted, so we'd all have a great deal of time on our hands to tackle all the things we'd been putting off. I'd probably offer to rotate four of the crew at a time the option of sleeping several weeks in a sleeper-pod if things got too boring.
Rafe put one last effort into finding us a carg
o. He, after all, had his reputation for finding cargoes to uphold. I didn't really want to know what exactly he was doing, but whatever it was, he came up empty. We could do the run in 180-190 days with a paying cargo, but that was just too long a passage when the liners did it in 130 -150 days for the same rate we could offer.
I was running down to CraterCity on a daily basis, looking after the ship as well as myself. I was in and out of Vix Fange & Co and exchanging frequent radio-packets with Min & Co, who was still handling the business end for Tallith Min, arranging for fueling, and other supplies.
My plans for purchasing some large lots of Azminn system luxury items on the ship's account had to be abandoned. We simply didn't have the credits with the upgrades and the fuel we'd need. I considered asking Min for the credits – since it would be a very safe investment as the demand was well established, but feared we were already dipping into her personal fortune, and not knowing how large or small it was, or how many more times we might have to tap it once we got to Aticor, I decided not to.
I did, however, encourage the crew to stock up on their Guild trade goods, (with their previously paid credits) telling them they could have all the space they needed in hold no. 4's strong room if they ran out of room in their cabin/locker.
I was surprised later in the day when Dyn drifted into my office with a very large credit voucher on his com link that he wanted me to use to buy trade goods for the ship. Dyn's reclusive nature allows him to slip under the radar, but the fact of the matter is that as Miccall's heir, he inherited all of the proceeds from the sale of Miccall's half of the Lost Star, which alone had to make Dyn the wealthiest person on board and perhaps even wealthier than our owner herself in terms of credits in the bank. It'd never crossed my mind to approach him for a loan but it was an offer I couldn't refuse, though I insisted, over his objections, to recording the credits as a loan. He refused any return on his loan, saying that the ship could repay the loan from the eventual proceeds when we were more flush with credits, assuring me he'd more credits than he'd ever use and he could think of no better investment than this new phase of the Lost Star's career. I hoped he was right, took his credits, thanked him profusely, and spent the rest of the day buying a quarter container's worth of trade goods. I had it lifted and stowed in no. 4 hold.
04
With all this, I still managed to see Lucky Laye win several races in her quest to meet Az of the Starsilver on the track keeping a close eye for that slim spaceer in black. I saw no sign of her and began to dismiss my original fears.
The final race of the Lucky Star with Lucky Laye at the controls was set for the day before the missiles were to arrive. Everyone was present except Dyn, who insisted on taking the watch and Min, of course. There was no longer any pretext – it was the Az Binric vs “Lucky” Molaye Merlun, Captain Artha Villiant vs Wil Litang and the Starsilver vs the Lost Star. Everyone else on the track was just extras. It was a boisterous and intense rivalry, but Artha and I worked to keep it as good spirited as possible with credits on the line. It helped that nothing we'd done prior to getting Molaye into the upper division had affected Az or the Starsilver combine in the least. Plus, having reached this final race meant giving up the Lucky Laye game so that everything was above board. Artha and I settled on the formal wager between the ships, the loser to pay for the victory feast after the race, and the two crews sat next to each other in the stands to watch the big race and hurl fairly good-natured taunts at each other.
The finer parts of the race escaped me. If you'd ask anyone else aboard, except Dyn, they'd be able to give you a much fuller account. What I can say is that there was some concern on the Starsilver's team that the pack would attempt to exact a little revenge on Az by fair or foul means. (Though I don't think there are actually any foul means, at least none were ever pointed out to me.) He solved that problem by taking the lead within seconds of the start and staying well ahead of the pack. Molaye had to work her way through, but did so quite deftly, so that by the half way point, it was just their two buggies leading the pack, which constituted the real race. They were always within a buggy length or two of each other, the lead changing several times, and as they rounded the final bend in a cloud of dust, they were dead even. Then, just before the finish line, the buggies edged together and hit, sending both swerving, Molaye's buggy swinging 180 degrees around locked on the frame of Az's machine. A second later they skidded across the finish line, Az's buggy pushing the Lucky Star just ahead as he tried to swerve his buggy around, so that Molaye crossed the finish line first, though facing backwards and being pushed by Az's buggy. She was declared the winner – arriving backwards was apparently neither dust nor gas when it comes to winning in crater buggy racing. The situation threatened to turn ugly as our growling teams made their way to the garage, only to find Az and Molaye laughing like lifelong pals. The trick of locking a buggy to the forward bumper just before the finish line is as old as the moons in buggy racing but Az had been caught by surprise – his competitors to date were not of that caliber. I had to admire him, he could've been angry and sulky, but instead was delighted to see it done so deftly, even if he was the victim. The attitude of the drivers quickly spread to the rest of their crews, and we had a fine feast afterward on the Starsilver's credit. (Artha insisted, though I offered to share the cost since the Starsilver crew was a bit poorer... But, they'd not have to face Lucky Laye again.)
The next day, day 18 in Sanre-tay Anchorage, & Kin armory boat came alongside and we spent the better part of it carefully transferring the nuclear laser armed missiles back and forth from our magazine to the & Kin boat. That evening I went down to CraterCity one last time to spend my final evening with my friend Leafa.