Arc 2 of "Gone with the Sun" - follows Arc 1, "Eternity" (under s/11379790/1/)

"Queen's Gambit," Chapter 10: Location, Location, Location

Cosmographically challenged

"Right. We've taken damage, the AI is down, we're reduced to attomech systems, the thrusters are jammed, and it could be days or weeks to rig for FTL. Joker's standing by with Daniels to crack open the door with Liara, Tali, Garrus and Samara when I give the word, so it's just between alliance personnel right now. Round the horn, folks, what else do we worry about? Junior first. Traynor?"

"We're in the Arcturus stream, ma'am. EDI set the co-ordinates pre-jump, but I don't know exactly where, working memory of the navigational bench was wiped. It's come up on reset but the gamma-ray finding scopes aren't up yet."

"Gamma ray scopes?"

"For finding pulsars, ma'am. Think GPS for space voyagers. Also the procedure needs some computation. We need to bring the old VI online."

"I'm familiar with the principle, Traynor, I just wasn't aware it operated in the gamma spectrum. Anyway, thank you, I think Joker might know where we are. Cortez?"

"Shuttle is down ma'am but not for the count, it's little core is safed and if I can get some parts it should be okay to go in two days. Once he's finished getting armor on, Vega is standing watch for first exit."

"It'll take longer than two days, I'm afraid – Adams, you have something to say?"

"We should have the fabs running in an hour, ma'am."

"Outstanding! Seriously, promotion for you. How?"

"Can't take credit, ma'am, it was almost the last thing EDI did, she sent Tali to organize two of the stasis projectors to be set over the fabs by Privates Westmoreland and Campbell. Step forward, kids. These two deserve some recognition, ma'am."

"Hm." Ashley looked closely. "You two bear famous names."

"Yes, ma'am. So do you ma'am erk –"

"Indeed. Dr Chakwas could you please see to Corporal Westmoreland's foot. Private Campbell, you really want to watch your step. I think we can spare you from guard duty for now. Place yourself at the disposal of Mr Adams. We shall see if we can get layer-3 parts by the end of the day, and I will consider your case then. All good Doctor?"

"The foot will recover, Lieutenant Commander. Might I add that we should be cautious about sampling any potential foods from the local biosphere?"

"What's our supply situation?"

"Not bad actually, around four weeks standard and another eight reconstitution rations, but we're not well placed for dextro. Can I suggest that once Greg is finished with the fabs that I work with Tali and Liara to create a temporary CHON food vat? We'd feed it green waste from clearing around the hull. Once we have accumulated sufficient CHON substrate we could rework it for dextro then laevo to the extent needed."

"Excellent, Westmoreland, please assist Dr Chakwas in her endeavors. Doctor, please convey my respects to Mr Vega at the hatch and instruct Joker to proceed. You are not to exit for samples until after the biotics, and especially Dr T'Soni, have given the all-clear. Do be aware that Mr Vega has rigorous instructions concerning your safety, and Westmoreland, you are to carry sidearms. Very well, gentlefolk, any last concerns? No? Expedite. Traynor, a word."

…

Traynor, just slightly panicked, and Ashley, unnaturally calm, were alone now.

"So, Traynor. Why have I asked to speak with you?"

"Er… location?"

"Well done. This is a garden world."

"Yes ma'am."

"Why did I hold our little conclave with no aliens present?"

Traynor stood paralysed for a few seconds. Ashley peered at her. "You're frightened! Traynor, we're alone, what are you thinking? Woman to woman."

Traynor sighed. She shouldn't have to butt heads with a Spectre and a ranking officer, but Williams seemed genuinely puzzled. "Ma'am… do you recall that little, um, bit of carelessness on Campbell's part?"

"Yes, of course."

"I guess you know that Westmoreland was referring to–"

"Yes, Traynor, but I'm beginning to be less sensitive about that, courtesy Shepard's wise counsel. Is that it? People think I'm unfit for command?"

"Yes ma'am, but it's not your granddad, people think the world of you… when Shepard's giving the orders."

The WHAT?! bugling forth would have been heard by Joker if the bulkhead door hadn't been closed. "Well, where does that come from then!"

"Um. LC– can I say Ashley? Ash? Okay, you really shouldn't have segregated the aliens. Seriously, it's not a good look."

"But we have our own secrets!"

"Yes, but… it's not good for morale and… ask yourself please. Would Shepard have sent them off?"

There was a short pause.

"No. No, he would have at least kept Liara around. Probably Garrus, the original ship was a joint design. Except Garrus isn't fit for duty right now. But dammit, he and Liara were– I mean, they wanted to– I mean–"

"Ashley. There was only one of him."

"Don't say that!"

"What? Oh. Well there's only one of him. You know what I mean. Look, he wasn't ever going to break Alliance regs without damn good reason, which an affair is not, nor would he indulge himself with squad-mates. Even if her panties caught fire." That made Ash laugh. Good. She needed to laugh a little. But now she was crying, oh dear.

"Sorry." Ash wiped her face. "Let's address this. You're saying he would have invited them into the conclave, alien or not."

"Yes, ma'am."

"So I'm the big bad racist warmongering anti-alien witch."

"Yes, ma'am. I mean no, ma'am, but yes, ma'am."

"Stop calling me ma'am for a moment." Deep sigh. "Really?"

"Yes, ma – yes, Ashley."

"That's depressing. But I don't have to trust them, surely?"

Traynor said nothing.

"What, really?"

Traynor nodded.

"Sugar. Does the whole crew think that way?"

Traynor shook her head.

"That's a relief. But poor Shep." Ashley sighed. "Silly bugger, sitting all alone in his cabin– what?"

Traynor said nothing, but the expression on her face was another matter.

"Dear god, not you!?"

Shocked, Traynor waved her arms in denial. "No! Some hot Cerberus chicks! One was a sort of political commissar, that was a bit problematic, the other one worked at my comm station! I never knew her!"

Ash looked scandalized, then laughed:

"God, they must have been good. No? Yes? Make up your mind, Traynor. The first one must have been Miranda Lawson, I met her on Horizon. She scares everyone except Hackett. We'll talk about her in a bit. Who was the other?"

"That was… Kelly, I can't actually recall her last name, don't know what she was there for, I get the impression she was a bit of a nonentity. All I know is from crew like Kasumi and Joker chatting, ask them. Joker was very concerned about Shepard's, um, morale. He had orders to improve it. She was one of the possibilities."

"Oh. Joker you say? Never heard of her. I'll ask around. Did Shepard send her packing?"

"No. Cerberus, remember? Even Donnelly and Daniels were in super huge trouble, Shepard had to dig them out of jail."

"But he didn't dig this Kelly person out, so she ran from the law. Shepard wouldn't have been impressed–"

"Nonono. She was terribly young, even Massani and Thane liked her, she had a very bad time when the Collectors took her and the rest of the crew–"

"Right. Anyway, she absconded, they didn't."

"No. Talk to Joker. As I understand it she disappeared when the death squads were roaming the citadel."

"Oh, fudge… I see. Poor girl. Poor Shepard."

"Exactly."

"Anyway, back to the aliens. This situation is different!"

"Is it?"

"Don't you see it? We're within a few hours' flight of the first relay away from Sol's Charon relay, that is, the Arcturus Prime relay, servicing what was once Arcturus station – home to the systems alliance parliament."

"Yes ma'am."

"What is strange about that?"

Traynor paused to consider. She hadn't thought it through.

"A garden world…"

"Yes, go on."

"Why hasn't it been colonized already? It's within human-controlled space…"

"Or was, yes."

"It's an absolute certainty the Parliament or Navy knew about it…"

"Keep going."

"So… if it hasn't been colonized… there's something about this place they wanted kept quiet."

"Well spotted. Do you see the dilemma?"

"I think so. You're saying this is above your pay grade?"

"Right. We'll bounce it to Hackett. He can figure out what to do."

– Next chapter will be #11, "Va, pensiero" –

Thursday, July 16, 2015