The next installment! The three are are now on their way to the original attack site. Will Finn be able to hold it together?
Chapter 10
Starling circled above the barge, informing Harrier and Tritonn that she was leaving to check out a rumor. She wasn't quite ready to commit all resources to Finn's speculation, though it certainly sounded plausible. Meanwhile Zella was plotting the fastest route back to the terra on which she had found Finn. Finn paced behind her, his face set and his fists clenched.
He could have torn out his hair when he realized that the Scumbucket would take two days to reach the site. He hadn't wanted to leave his benefactor behind but he needed to get there, now. However, Starling informed him that by having to detour to a supply depot to pick up a deep sonar, along with charging up her skimmer, it would still take them a day and a half. And that was with minimal stops. Since the barge already had a deep sonar, it would come in handy. Finn wondered if there was any way for Starling's beloved Red Streak to pull the barge. If he could, he would have pushed.
His mind ran through his theory over and over. It had to be, it just had to be, he was right, he knew it! He wasn't sure about the details, had the Stormhawks been overtaken with reinforcements or had a battle cruiser showed up and taken a well aimed shot at the Condor? Something had to have happened that caused the Condor to lose the left engine. Had they gotten away before or after the crash? Had they been on their rides or on foot? Were they safe of had they been hurt? So many questions and Finn wanted an answer right now. Patience was not his strong suit.
"When you get down to the storage room, pick up the hammock, will you?" Came Zella's wry voice.
"Huh?" Finn said distractedly.
"You're going to wear a hole in the deck. I know you're excited and raring to go and want to get there and help your friends. We all do. But you'll go out of your mind if you don't settle. Not to mention driving us out of our minds. Ah, here she comes." Zella said, looking forward to where Starling was bringing her skimmer around. With expert precision the purple haired Sky Knight dropped down below the ship, then roared up, cutting the engine and retracting the wings at the same time, making a perfect landing on the wide foredeck. Zella finished setting the course and airspeed into the autopilot and turned around just as Starling entered.
"It's all set." Announced the younger woman. "I've contacted the nearest squadrons to converge on the coordinates. With them being so scattered, they won't arrive until hours after we do, but at least they're on the way. I didn't give them any details and ordered complete silence, don't want this leaked out and if the Cyclonians are still searching, definitely don't want to tip our hand. Harrier and Tritonn will remain behind to give the appearance we're still looking into the crash site."
Starling looked over at Finn who seemed about to pop out of his skin. She smiled in sympathy and went over to stand by him, a friendly hand on his shoulder. She could feel the tension in him; she felt the same even if she didn't show it. It was going to be a long two days. She counted back to when the news had first broken. It didn't seem like it had been over nine days, but it was. She could still remember the shock and grief and anger she had felt. A crushing and heart breaking loss, not just for the welfare of the planet, but for her as well. Another set of friends gone, cut down by the Cyclonian forces. She had begun to question the wisdom of not joining them, the long years fighting alone beginning to wear on her. As soon as the Cyclonian report had been heard over the radio, she had quickly rallied all the squadrons, set them on a quest to find the answers. She had personally taken over the investigation of the crash site and even after she had formally reported her findings, had patrolled the area, keeping a watch on it. Though she kept searching for answers she had begun to despair. Until today, when she had seen a familiar form standing on the prow of an old converted barge. At first she thought someone was pulling a very sick prank as she took in the blond hair, the spikes that stood up not quite right. But as she had gotten closer she could see the authenticity of his uniform and there was no mistaking the impudence of his grin, the bright spark of mischief in his azure blue eyes. Along with the happiness he had beamed out as he looked at her, mixed with relief. Looking over at him now, he still seemed happy, but he was obviously restless.
"Well, Starling dear, let's get you settled in, shall we? Finn, how about you and I going down in the bowels of this beast and get out the hammock? I don't fancy sleeping on the deck." Zella remarked, grabbing Finn by the arm and tugging him behind her. He went reluctantly with her to the hatch that led down below deck. Calling over her shoulder to Starling, Zella told her to make herself comfortable, they'd be right back. Starling wandered around the room much as Finn had on his first day, looking over the bridge and its controls, then over to the desk and perusing its contents, finally coming to a stop at the wall of shelves behind the chair. She was studying the photos arranged there when the other two returned, carrying a large roll between them.
Zella gave her a glance but said nothing. Motioning for Finn to lean the hammock against the wall next to the couch, she began to explain. "Now this hammock is nice and big and comfy, but it takes up a lot of room. We can hang it at night, take it down during the day. Finn, you'll get the couch and Starling, you can take the bedroom."
Which started a three way argument as both Finn and Starling said that they would take the hammock and Starling saying that she was not about to kick Zella out of her own bedroom and Zella replying that this was her ship and she was the captain and no arguing. To which Finn stepped in front of her with his arms folded and said the hammock was his, he'd always wanted to sleep in a hammock and that was that. Zella glared back at him until the glint showed in her right eye.
"Brat."
Finn smiled smugly. "Darn right."
"Fine, be that way, but I get the couch, then."
To which Starling insisted she'd be much more comfortable on the couch, thank you very much.
Zella flung up her hands and declared surrender. Marching into the kitchen, she announced that she was going to start dinner and nobody better stop her. Starling and Finn exchanged amused glances and then Starling followed after her. Finn thought about joining them, but the kitchen was small enough and he'd end up sitting on the refrigerator. He wandered around the room, standing at the window staring out it, or leafing through the papers on her desk, fiddling with the pencils and paint brushes, then flopped down on the couch and picked up his book, but he kept reading the same lines over again. Tossing it aside he decided to see what the two women were doing anyway. Either that or go take a nap. But then he thought it would probably look kind of odd to Starling if he just went in and made himself comfortable on somebody else's bed, so thought otherwise. Besides, he'd just toss and turn anyway. What he needed was something to do.
"Give me something to do." He stated, standing in the doorway. Zella turned around from where she was standing at the sink, washing some vegetables. Starling was sitting at the table.
"Here, chop these while I get the skillet going."
Finn took the clean vegetables and stacked them next to the cutting board. "Big chunks or itsy bitsy?"
"Medium please."
Grabbing the big bladed knife, Finn effortlessly chopped the roots into quarter inch pieces with practiced ease. Seeing that Zella had melted butter into the large skillet he looked at her questioningly and getting a nod, scraped them into the pan with the back of the knife. As she turned to grab some more stuff from the cupboard, he began to sauté the cut up pieces.
"What we making?"
"Beef pot pie, so only cook those for a few minutes, just need to soften them a bit, not cook them all the way. "
"Right."
She pulled out a round baking dish and lined it with an already made pie crust. Then she pulled out a large bowl and set it down. Opening a can of premade stew she dumped it in, then added a couple small cans of vegetables. She grinned. "Like to make fresh when I can, but it never hurts to use storebought. Those ready?"
"Just about." Replied Finn, who stirred the onions, carrots and mushrooms around a little more, making sure they were done on all sides. Grabbing hold of a pot holder, he tipped the contents into the bowl, which Zella promptly mixed together along with an egg, a spoon full of flour and some spices. She then filled the dough line baking pan, topped it with another pie crust, sealed it and cut a few holes in the top. Then she popped it in the heated oven.
Finn had already gathered the dishes and began to wash them. Zella grabbed a towel and dried , putting the clean dishes away one by one, while Finn wiped down the counter and stove. In no time the kitchen was clean and tidy. The whole time Starling had sat there, taking in the efficiency of the two. As Zella gathered up plates and utensils, Starling wondered how they were going to fit three at the tiny table. Her answer came as older woman handed everything to Finn and told him to go set places in the living room.
As Finn left, he couldn't help calling back "Yes, oh master."
"And don't you forget it either, mister." Zella called after. "And just what do you want?"
At first Starling thought she was talking to her, but realized that Zella was looking behind her at the other entrance to the kitchen. Turning she found the houndbeast sitting there, tongue lolling and its tail wagging back and forth.
"Go lay down, you big beggar, it's not time for your dinner yet. Go eat the mirrcat." Zella said firmly. Kara laid back her ears and looked down, for all the world a poor put upon creature, forced to starve.
"Oh fine, spoiled baby." Zella exclaimed, reaching up into a jar and tossing out a treat. Kara easily grabbed it, lay down with a sigh and began chewing on it with obvious relish.
Turning to Starling, Zella motioned her to the living room. Upon re-entering, they found Finn putting the finishing touches, adjusting a plate here, moving the spoon closer to the knife. Zella stopped and observed him, hands on her hips.
"That. That's the way you set the table." She remarked with mock irritation.
"Yeah, got a problem with it?" Finn challenged back.
"No, just remarking. That's how you set the table." She replied mildly, her changed tone now conveying approval.
Finn rolled his eyes.
"I saw that look."
"Oh yeah, well how about this, see this?" Finn shot back, pulling his eyes down and shooting out his tongue.
Zella gave out a huge aggrieved sigh and turned to Starling, who had been watching the two with a bemused look on her face. "See, see what I've had to put up with? I go out of my way, haul his butt to a hospital, haul his butt out of the hospital, haul it some more to the site, and now hauling it again. All the while slaving my fingers to the bone cooking and cleaning for him. And this is the way he treats me. Ingrate."
"Oh, you've been slaving? Don't listen to her, Starling. Here I am injured," he put a hand to his ribs and pasted an expression of pain on his features, "And yet I'm the one who really does all the cooking and cleaning, while she sits back with her feet up, eating bon-bons."
"Ha, how many times have I let your lazy bones lie in bed? And then night after night, while I'm trying to actually get some work done, there you are playing with the houndbeast or teasing the kitten."
"Well somebody's got to pay attention to them, you practically ignore them."
"Right, I don't spoil them at all. Kick em every chance I get, and you as well."
"That's right, you're mean."
"And you are a.."
"Brat!!" yelled Finn before she could finish. They both looked at each other with wide grins.
Starling sat down on the end of the couch, shaking her head, her own smile playing around her lips. Finn grinned back and settled against the couch himself, putting his feet up and his hands behind his head. Zella sat down and made herself comfortable as well. For a few minutes anyway. Then she was back up, telling them both to stay where they were and she was just going to put some rolls in and she'd be right back. Then she reappeared with a basket of fruit and placed it on the table only to whirl back into the kitchen. She was away for a bit longer, finally stepping out with a pitcher and three glasses, pouring each of them sweetened tang juice. She stood there, sipping her drink until they heard a bell ring and she was gone again, only to walk out with the now steaming dish of pot pie, a small basket of rolls gripped between two fingers. She received an irritated retort from Finn, who told her she should have asked for help, to which she replied that the food would have gone cold by the time he got up. This earned her another face as he scrunched up his nose at her.
They quickly dug into the food and ate in silence. Starling remarked that the dinner was very good, to which Finn couldn't help pointing out that it was all because of his vegetables. He ducked as Zella pretended to throw her spoon at him.
Starling stopped either of them from starting to clean up and said that she would do the dishes. Zella stood up and nodded, then turned to Finn and after showing him hooks in the ceiling, asked if he'd need any help setting up the hammock. Finn stood a moment with his finger in his mouth and looked at her with a dazed look on his face.
"Gee, I don't know. It looks really hard."
Zella gave him a playful swat and told him that she had faith in him, really she did. Then she followed Starling into the kitchen. Finn had the hammock up in no time and was laying in it, swinging lazily when they returned. Zella had her arms filled with sheets and blankets and pillows, and between the three of them finished getting the hammock and couch ready for the night. The three traded off using the bathroom and then it was a series of good nights.
Finn took off his boots and armor and swung himself into the hammock, where he quickly made himself comfortable in his nest. He fully expected to lay awake, his mind churning with thoughts. He glanced over at Starling who was settling into the couch. He noticed that she kept her boots on and hadn't taken off her armor. He wondered at that but decided that she liked to be ready at a moment's notice. He turned so he could gaze out the window, the stars and clouds sliding by slowly. He was beginning to feel anxious again. What if they got there too late? What if the Cyclonians had found his friends? What if they were hurt and in danger, lost in the wastelands? What if…? What if, what if, what if. Finn tried to find his center, but he just couldn't seem to find that calm eye in the middle of his hurricane.
He shifted over to his left side. He kept imagining his friends hurt, kept seeing himself discovering their bodies, knowing that it was his fault that they hadn't been rescued in time. He just knew that he would hear the triumphant news from Cyclonia that the remains of the Stormhawks would be soon released. That one was missing would be small consolation to the rest of the planet. And what would he do? So far he'd been able to stitch together some sort of plan, but there was no way he'd be able to continue on by himself. One thing he had learned from all of this was that he needed to be a part of something. He just couldn't do it alone.
Finn turned back over to his right side and sighed. The hammock was incredibly comfortable, the soft fabric molding to his body, supporting him just right. He closed his eyes and tried to fall asleep. Just one more day and they'd be there. Sleep. Relax. Breath in, breath out.
He started a little as he felt something hit his chest. It was the mirrcat. The small animal flopped over onto its back and began to purr. Finn reached out his hand and buried it into the warm fur, causing the feline to purr loudly and wriggle into a better position for Finn's hand to rub just the right spot. Hypnotized by the repetition of stroking the mirrcat, soothed by its presence, Finn drifted off to sleep.