Chapter 9
It was dark when Jim started his shift. They had moved away from all the stars and suns that gave off light, and they where now in open and lonely space. Keeping watch was too easy. One simply had to walk a circle around the ship and if one didn't see any lights, you didn't have to look again for hours. Alcor still demanded that the lights on the ship be kept at their lowest setting and only on when necessary so they didn't attract any attention from any other ships in the area that were doing the same.
He was sitting at the desk on the quarterdeck rereading his journal and adding things where they needed to be added. When he was younger, he had a fear that teachers and professors could tell how long something was written on the page, so they would know if he made any last minute changes or additions. It was good, because he made sure he did it right the first time, but crippling when he read back and saw a mistake. Only the last three months in the academy had he finally been able to get over that fear, but it still made him nervous from time to time. Thankfully, this was not one of those times.
He was actually really impressed with himself because Myst's name was only there a handful of times, and the rest she was referred to as a 'crew member', and he didn't make any comments about how she looked or spoke or acted that might have seemed flirtatious or obsessive.
He could see her now, down on the main deck, polishing the railing. He couldn't see her face, but in the dim light he could see her shoulders working under her light grey shirt. She was bare-foot, despite the cool air, and Jim lost all train of thought while watching her.
"Jim!" A voice from above called out. He looked up to the crows nest, and Shanti was pointing at something in the distance. Following her direction, he watched as what he had mistaken for a distant star was now slightly but noticeably bigger. There was barely anyone on the deck, but since Myst followed the exchange, that probably wouldn't last. She had already put down her rag and was moving towards the Galley where everyone else was.
"Keep and eye on them," Jim called back up, and went to wake up the Captain. She wasn't impressed at being woken, but once she understood the situation, she was dressed and in control within a minute.
The ship, which was definitely a ship now, was still getting larger, and it looked like they were going to be on a collision course, or close to it unless someone did something.
As Alcor was picking up the radio by the control panel, a cracked voice came though. It was still broken up by the distance, but after a moment, words started to make sense.
"Mayday! Mayday! This is the Royal Navy Jewel Fleet Ruby requesting assistance! Mayday! Do you copy?"
"We hear you, Ruby," Alcor sent back, "This is Captain Fray Alcor of the Royal Navy Jewel Fleet Turquoise. What seems to be the problem?"
There was a long pause. By this point, most of the crew had found it's way onto the deck and was watching out in all directions. Not much messed with a Jewel Fleet ship, and if one as renowned as Ruby had been attacked, it was a threat to everyone in the area.
"Long story," The voice replied quickly, "It contains a pirate attack, the destruction of our AG Generator, and a loss of controls. We have crew members floating for miles back and we can't turn around!"
What low voices had been talking stopped as they all rushed to the side of the ship the Ruby was approaching.
Alcor was about to reply when Kae stepped up. "How do we know it's them? What if it's a trap and they're the pirates?"
Jim gave him a side-wards smile at his initiative.
"We don't, Kae, Until we see their faces for themselves-"
Shanti dropped onto the deck beside Jim. "Captain," she addressed, and in her hand was a telescope. "They're wearing Navy uniforms, but I don't recognise any of the faces. I have to agree with Kae on this one."
A frown furrowed it's way into Alcor's usually relaxed face, and the radio crackled again. "Captain Alcor, our own captain has been lost and we request assistance in retrieving our lost crew."
"Who are you?"
There was barely a pause "Lieutenant Sasha Phosype, Third mate and second year graduate of the Academy. We request assistance urgently, we are losing more crew as we speak."
"No!" Myst exclaimed, at the same time Jim shouted, "She's my friend!"
Jim turned on her, puzzled. "What?
"I-," Myst started.
"We know her, and I trust her, and we have to help." Jim stared his captian down.
Myst looked like she was going to say something else, but after a moment, she just turned on her heel and joined the rest of the crew in preparation for the rescue.
Jim knew that voice and her name, and felt obligated to help. He nodded to Alcor, who spoke back through the radio accepting their request for help.
The ship was turned about quickly, angling towards Ruby and soon they could see the floating passengers.
Alcor instructed Kae to lead a rescue team to help them, and they disappeared below deck. They were close enough to see people moving about on the ship when the longboats scooted out from under the boat.
Jim's stomach turned to knots when their cries and shouts reached his ears, their panic panicking him in turn. Alcor stood steady by his side though, as the ship approached, and seemed unbaffled by the circumstances.
The two ships pulled alongside each other and the Turquoise's mechanic dashed across, grabbing a hold of the railing as he made his way to the obviously damaged AG Generator. The rest of the crew, Jim and Alcor included, fetched the remaining hovering crew and brought them onto their ship. A lot of them were taken straight down to the infirmary, but the mostly uninjured ones just lay moaning on the deck, space-sick and enjoying the gravity.
Jim was laying Sasha down on the deck of his ship, she was a funny shade of green, when Myst appeared at his side. There was a lifeline already around her waist and her rescue lay on the floor next to them.
"Jim, I want to apolog-" her eyes flickered to Sasha. "But you can go jump off the ship." She spat, before jumping back into the weightlessness.
Jim was thoroughly confused, but Sasha grabbed his wrist before he could leave. "Don't be too hard on her," She muttered, her eyes lolling around clearly trying to keep the contents of her stomach inside herself, "It is well deserved."
He tried not to entertain that thought while he grabbed the last of the passengers and set them down. Myst was already going over the injuries of another person and didn't meet his eyes when he looked at her. He turned away to focus on his work.
Within an hour, most of the longboats were back with some very thankful navy officers. Jim looked around for another friendly face, but there was only Sasha in this crew he knew, and she was debriefing with Alcor. Still, Jim wondered over, catching the last part of her story.
"Did you recognise which band it was?" Alcor was asking, taking notes.
Sasha shook her head. "It all happened so fast. They were on us in moments, they must have snuck up on us from underneath. They didn't want us dead, just stunned, and by the time we all came too, they were blowing up the Artificial Gravity Generator and were leaving us to fend for ourselves. I didn't get a chance to check what they had stolen-"
The radio crackled to life, cutting her off. "Captain, Kae says he's found the Captain of the Ruby"
Alcor snatched up the radio while Sasha bounced on her toes. Jim stood next to her and took her hand quietly, and she laced her fingers between his. She was still as beautiful as the day he met her, maybe more. They had gone out a few times, back in his first year, but their personalties clashed too much to ever have a romantic relationship. It had been easy to slide back into a platonic relationship after that, and both of them had been quite relieved. She met his eyes with her own white, iris-less ones and Jim could see the worry and fear hidden behind them.
"It'll be OK," Jim whispered to her. "Whatever happens, you've got me."
Sasha gave him a weak smile. "I'm just glad you're here and safe."
Alcor was still talking through the radio to Mitchel, who was acting as a middle person since Kae was out of radio contact at his distance.
"Kae says Captain Oxfrodly was shot through the head, Captain. He's dead."
Sasha had fallen to the floor, collapsing in a heap, muttering sounds of denial. Jim had wrapped his arms around her, and listened to the rest of the conversation, though he didn't remember much of the words. He gathered they were at least another hour away from the ship, and they had found many more dead crew members before the captain himself.
Alcor was trying to ask Sasha if she knew anything about the dead passengers, but she shook her head and repeated that they had knocked her out, and anything that had happened while she was out she couldn't have known about. By this point, she was crying, curled up in a ball on the floor, covering her head with her hands as if it would protect her from the painful truth.
Jim's heart ached for her, but he couldn't do anything more.
He set out to send the longboat drivers back out again to retrieve the last of the crew, and a mournful quiet fell over the ship as they left. He didn't mention that the Captain had been found, or that he was dead; that would be Sasha's job as the only one left in charge.
Looking out across the space, he could see the tail end of Ruby disappearing into the distance. The mechanic was still on board, trying to fix whatever was wrong with it, but soon enough she'd be coming back. The captain only gave her as long as it took before she was too far to see.
Myst's words were still heavy on his mind when there was a bright flash of light, and a couple of seconds later, the sound of an explosion, from the same area the ship was just moments before. Jim almost doubled over, watching the light flare up as bright as a star before disappearing into the darkness. It was the brightest thing for systems in any direction, and it caught the attention of everyone. Some people swore, some people chocked, most people were silent, stunned by what just happened.
Alcor and Sasha were by his side in seconds, and Sasha gave out a howl. Even Alcor was looking green.
Jim had barely turned around to face the crew when the ship burst into action. All of the supposed sick and injured were up and moving with alarming speed, and within a few seconds, Jim's crewmates were down and out in various heaps on the deck. Jim had sprung into the fray, but was quickly grappled from behind and forced still. There was a blow to his head, and Jim, too, collapsed.
