"This is a really bad idea!" Rullin whispered.
"Shush!" Estay looked behind her to see if anyone had heard them. The hall was still empty. "Don't worry," she whispered back, "we'll be fine."
"We're gonna get caught!" he exclaimed.
"We're not gonna get caught. They're all at the banquet. Now stand out here and keep watch," Estay commanded. "If you see anyone coming, call me on this." She handed him a small communicator she'd stolen from one of the merchant's tables that morning. "Okay?"
He didn't answer, just looked at the little device doubtfully.
"Okay?" Estay asked again.
"Okay," he answered, clipping the device to his jacket.
"Good. Now don't worry. I'll be in and out before you even know it. And just think what we can make off all the cool High Guard stuff on that ship!"
Rullin smiled a little bit. "Be careful Big Sis," he said.
Estay grinned; he hadn't called her that since he was ten. "I will, Little Bro," she answered. She opened the door to the hangar bay where the huge High Guard ship was docked.
******************************
Rullin was seated on the floor with his back against one of the metal walls. He idly flipped the small communicator as if it were a coin. Suddenly, a large shadow marched past him. It was one of the Andromeda's crew. Not only that, it was the very large, very scary Nietzschean, with a Force Lance. Rullin fumbled with the communicator. He finally managed to activate it. "Estay! Estay! Get out of there!" No answer. He scrambled up and into the hangar bay, not really knowing what he could do to help his sister.
******************************
Estay stood in a room labeled 'Hydroponics'. She'd already filled her bag with a lot of interesting weapons and machines. She'd even managed to get her hands on five Force Lances. Now, she was on her way out but had stopped to admire the beautiful room. She knew she shouldn't linger, but Rullin would call her if there was a problem. Speaking of Rullin, Estay thought it would be a good idea to tell him that she was all right. She'd been longer than she thought she would. She reached for the communicator clipped to her jacket, but found that it was missing. "Oh man!" she whispered. Should she retrace her steps? Estay decided just to leave.
She hurried to the door, but found herself face to face with a metal android. She grabbed a Force Lance out of her bag and pointed it at the android. "Stay back or I'll shoot!"
Thankfully, the android backed up. Estay ran out the door and down the hall, hoping it was the right hall to take to get out. Suddenly, the door in front of her slid closed.
"Hey!" she exclaimed. She banged on the door, but to no effect. She raised the Force Lance and prepared to shoot, hoping that it would blast the door open, but before she could a hand closed around her wrist and another around her waist. "Let me go!" she screamed as the hand holding her wrist wrenched the Force Lance from her grasp. Estay struggled until she managed to turn herself so that she could see her attacker. He was a large man, very large, with dark skin and long hair. Judging from big spikes on his forearm he was a Nietzschean.
Estay debated whether to fight her way loose, but after about two seconds, decided against it. He would probably squash her like a bug if she gave him any trouble. He might squash her like a bug anyway.
Just then, Rullin came barreling down the hall. "Let my sister go!" he yelled as he charged the Nietzschean.
******************************
Dylan looked up as Tyr marched onto the bridge holding a captive in either arm. On the left was a boy about fourteen years old in tattered clothing and covered in a layer of dirt. On the right was a girl, equally as dirty and tattered. Dylan guessed that she was about eighteen or nineteen. Andromeda's hologram appeared. "That's the girl," she said. "She short circuited my hangar door, raided our weapon's locker and Harper's workshop, and when I tried to stop her she threatened one of my androids with a Force Lance," she turned to from Dylan to the girl, "which, by the way, was backwards. You could have shot yourself!"
The girl didn't answer, she just stared at the floor.
"Let them go, Tyr," Dylan commanded.
Tyr released them. "May I go now?" he demanded. "Or do you have more babysitting duties for me?"
"You can go," Dylan said. He turned back to the girl. "What are your names?"
Neither one answered.
"Well, I'm Captain Dylan Hunt and this is my ship, the /Andromeda Ascendant/, that you broke into."
"That would be me," Andromeda added.
"Now, do you want to tell my why you broke into my ship, or should I just turn you over to the authorities now?"
The girl looked up. "We needed money. We thought we could sell some of the stuff off of here."
"Didn't it occur to you that we might object?" Dylan asked.
"Didn't think you'd notice till we were long gone," the girl replied.
"Well /I/ noticed!" Andromeda exclaimed.
"I didn't know the ship was alive," the girl said.
"Well, I'm sorry, but we're going to have to turn you over to the authorities," Dylan said. "'Rommie, have an android escort them to the hangar bay."
Their eyes widened in fear. "Oh, come on, please don't do that! We're sorry, really, really sorry! We'll never do it again! Please don't report us!" the girl begged.
"I'm sorry, but I have to obey the laws," Dylan replied. The android arrived and reached for the kids, but the girl evaded the its grasp.
"They'll ship us off to some prison planet!" the girl exclaimed.
The memories of his own stay at a prison planet, Helios Nine, sprang up all to vividly in Dylan's mind. He sighed. "Fine, I'll let you off with a warning, but I want your word that you will never do anything like this again."
"Oh, thank you, thank you, thank you!" the girl exclaimed. "You're a saint! Really. A great guy! The best!" All the time she and her companion were backing to the door. They reached it and bolted out the door. The girl shouted something like, "Thanks, bye!" over her shoulder. Dylan shook his head.
"Do you think that was wise?" Andromeda asked.
"Probably not," Dylan answered.
"Hmm, well, the Ambassador is calling. He wants to know, if the situation on your ship has been solved, can you meet him for lunch tomorrow?"
Dylan nodded. "Sure, tell him whatever's convenient for him. I'm just glad he still wants to meet with us."
Andromeda shook her head. "Just you, he's requested that you meet him alone."
Dylan thought for a moment, but this wasn't an extremely unusual request, especially after some of the comments Tyr had made. "All right, I'll tell the others they can do some sight seeing."
***********************
The next morning, Beka, Trance, Rommie, Harper, and, reluctantly, Tyr set out to do some sight seeing in the incredible metal, dome city. Trance immediately dragged Beka and Rommie off to shop for some new clothes and possibly a native plant or two for her garden. That left Tyr and Harper together...for about ten seconds. Then, Tyr decided to check out some weapon store and Harper was left to wander farther down the street alone. He strolled along taking in the sites. Suddenly, he got a strange feeling, as if he was being watched. Idly, he glanced behind him, but saw no one. He turned down a deserted street. This time he was sure he heard footsteps following him. He quickened his pace, realizing that he was in a deserted construction zone. A small guardrail fenced off a metal shaft. Harper realized he'd just cut himself off from any hope of help...or witnesses. He heard the footsteps again, closer this time. He turned again and found himself face to face with a man. Before he could react, the man lifted him off his feet and dumped him over the guardrail and down into the mile long shaft.
That's the end of chapter one. Wondering what happens next? So am I. I guess we'll find out in a few days. Please R&R.
"Shush!" Estay looked behind her to see if anyone had heard them. The hall was still empty. "Don't worry," she whispered back, "we'll be fine."
"We're gonna get caught!" he exclaimed.
"We're not gonna get caught. They're all at the banquet. Now stand out here and keep watch," Estay commanded. "If you see anyone coming, call me on this." She handed him a small communicator she'd stolen from one of the merchant's tables that morning. "Okay?"
He didn't answer, just looked at the little device doubtfully.
"Okay?" Estay asked again.
"Okay," he answered, clipping the device to his jacket.
"Good. Now don't worry. I'll be in and out before you even know it. And just think what we can make off all the cool High Guard stuff on that ship!"
Rullin smiled a little bit. "Be careful Big Sis," he said.
Estay grinned; he hadn't called her that since he was ten. "I will, Little Bro," she answered. She opened the door to the hangar bay where the huge High Guard ship was docked.
******************************
Rullin was seated on the floor with his back against one of the metal walls. He idly flipped the small communicator as if it were a coin. Suddenly, a large shadow marched past him. It was one of the Andromeda's crew. Not only that, it was the very large, very scary Nietzschean, with a Force Lance. Rullin fumbled with the communicator. He finally managed to activate it. "Estay! Estay! Get out of there!" No answer. He scrambled up and into the hangar bay, not really knowing what he could do to help his sister.
******************************
Estay stood in a room labeled 'Hydroponics'. She'd already filled her bag with a lot of interesting weapons and machines. She'd even managed to get her hands on five Force Lances. Now, she was on her way out but had stopped to admire the beautiful room. She knew she shouldn't linger, but Rullin would call her if there was a problem. Speaking of Rullin, Estay thought it would be a good idea to tell him that she was all right. She'd been longer than she thought she would. She reached for the communicator clipped to her jacket, but found that it was missing. "Oh man!" she whispered. Should she retrace her steps? Estay decided just to leave.
She hurried to the door, but found herself face to face with a metal android. She grabbed a Force Lance out of her bag and pointed it at the android. "Stay back or I'll shoot!"
Thankfully, the android backed up. Estay ran out the door and down the hall, hoping it was the right hall to take to get out. Suddenly, the door in front of her slid closed.
"Hey!" she exclaimed. She banged on the door, but to no effect. She raised the Force Lance and prepared to shoot, hoping that it would blast the door open, but before she could a hand closed around her wrist and another around her waist. "Let me go!" she screamed as the hand holding her wrist wrenched the Force Lance from her grasp. Estay struggled until she managed to turn herself so that she could see her attacker. He was a large man, very large, with dark skin and long hair. Judging from big spikes on his forearm he was a Nietzschean.
Estay debated whether to fight her way loose, but after about two seconds, decided against it. He would probably squash her like a bug if she gave him any trouble. He might squash her like a bug anyway.
Just then, Rullin came barreling down the hall. "Let my sister go!" he yelled as he charged the Nietzschean.
******************************
Dylan looked up as Tyr marched onto the bridge holding a captive in either arm. On the left was a boy about fourteen years old in tattered clothing and covered in a layer of dirt. On the right was a girl, equally as dirty and tattered. Dylan guessed that she was about eighteen or nineteen. Andromeda's hologram appeared. "That's the girl," she said. "She short circuited my hangar door, raided our weapon's locker and Harper's workshop, and when I tried to stop her she threatened one of my androids with a Force Lance," she turned to from Dylan to the girl, "which, by the way, was backwards. You could have shot yourself!"
The girl didn't answer, she just stared at the floor.
"Let them go, Tyr," Dylan commanded.
Tyr released them. "May I go now?" he demanded. "Or do you have more babysitting duties for me?"
"You can go," Dylan said. He turned back to the girl. "What are your names?"
Neither one answered.
"Well, I'm Captain Dylan Hunt and this is my ship, the /Andromeda Ascendant/, that you broke into."
"That would be me," Andromeda added.
"Now, do you want to tell my why you broke into my ship, or should I just turn you over to the authorities now?"
The girl looked up. "We needed money. We thought we could sell some of the stuff off of here."
"Didn't it occur to you that we might object?" Dylan asked.
"Didn't think you'd notice till we were long gone," the girl replied.
"Well /I/ noticed!" Andromeda exclaimed.
"I didn't know the ship was alive," the girl said.
"Well, I'm sorry, but we're going to have to turn you over to the authorities," Dylan said. "'Rommie, have an android escort them to the hangar bay."
Their eyes widened in fear. "Oh, come on, please don't do that! We're sorry, really, really sorry! We'll never do it again! Please don't report us!" the girl begged.
"I'm sorry, but I have to obey the laws," Dylan replied. The android arrived and reached for the kids, but the girl evaded the its grasp.
"They'll ship us off to some prison planet!" the girl exclaimed.
The memories of his own stay at a prison planet, Helios Nine, sprang up all to vividly in Dylan's mind. He sighed. "Fine, I'll let you off with a warning, but I want your word that you will never do anything like this again."
"Oh, thank you, thank you, thank you!" the girl exclaimed. "You're a saint! Really. A great guy! The best!" All the time she and her companion were backing to the door. They reached it and bolted out the door. The girl shouted something like, "Thanks, bye!" over her shoulder. Dylan shook his head.
"Do you think that was wise?" Andromeda asked.
"Probably not," Dylan answered.
"Hmm, well, the Ambassador is calling. He wants to know, if the situation on your ship has been solved, can you meet him for lunch tomorrow?"
Dylan nodded. "Sure, tell him whatever's convenient for him. I'm just glad he still wants to meet with us."
Andromeda shook her head. "Just you, he's requested that you meet him alone."
Dylan thought for a moment, but this wasn't an extremely unusual request, especially after some of the comments Tyr had made. "All right, I'll tell the others they can do some sight seeing."
***********************
The next morning, Beka, Trance, Rommie, Harper, and, reluctantly, Tyr set out to do some sight seeing in the incredible metal, dome city. Trance immediately dragged Beka and Rommie off to shop for some new clothes and possibly a native plant or two for her garden. That left Tyr and Harper together...for about ten seconds. Then, Tyr decided to check out some weapon store and Harper was left to wander farther down the street alone. He strolled along taking in the sites. Suddenly, he got a strange feeling, as if he was being watched. Idly, he glanced behind him, but saw no one. He turned down a deserted street. This time he was sure he heard footsteps following him. He quickened his pace, realizing that he was in a deserted construction zone. A small guardrail fenced off a metal shaft. Harper realized he'd just cut himself off from any hope of help...or witnesses. He heard the footsteps again, closer this time. He turned again and found himself face to face with a man. Before he could react, the man lifted him off his feet and dumped him over the guardrail and down into the mile long shaft.
That's the end of chapter one. Wondering what happens next? So am I. I guess we'll find out in a few days. Please R&R.