Notes: Sorry this chapter took so long, I wasn't quite happy with it and
kept messing around with it. Please read and enjoy. I'd really like it
if you readers out there reviewed. Please? I am by far not a perfect
writer, and I'd appreciate the feedback. I hope you all like the next
chapter.
Chapter 8 Anubis
The dividing curtains parted with a soft hiss, revealing a beautiful example of modern mechanical wonders. Only a luxurious vessel like this would have an outer coat of paint that mattered, and it was a gleaming dark gray, almost black. The sleek, smooth lines of the ship were accented by the silvery reflection of the lights. It was beautiful. The large engines at the back fit perfectly into the elliptical shape, enhancing it, not disrupting it. Overall, it was smaller than many transgalaxial ships, but still large enough to be considered spacious. Alex couldn't wait to see the inside, and even though she had extremely limited experience with today's space travel technology, see what it had to offer.
All of the anger, all of the negativity she had been holding inside all day was cut through, for a moment, by the giddiness of a young girl. 'This is mine,' she thought to herself, realizing only now what "buying a ship" meant. It was like the first time she had bought a car, so long ago, only this was beyond any expectations she had.
"You want to see inside?" Fred asked, breaking the silence.
Alex merely smiled at him in return.
"C'mon then." He entered a code into the computer touch screen which caused the cargo ramp, at the rear of the ship, to lower. As Fred led Riddick and Alex towards it, he kept describing the specifications.
"This here is the cargo ramp. Originally we designed this one with.ahem.discreet shipments in mind," at this he grinned, almost like a boy who knew he was in trouble, "and there's a significant cargo hold on the lower level. Three, actually. This ramp takes us into the ship between them. It's got two main levels, and one atrium level, very shallow, for hydroponics. It's designed to be both a long and short term vessel, just in case. Lights!"
The ramp led up between the two engine ports, revealing a neutral, plain- looking hallway, with lights which were progressively turning on immediately after Fred had shouted the command. When they stepped on to the ship, ahead and to the right and left were large cargo doors, shut.
"We're walking between the two engine rooms right now," Fred told them. "They're divided, so each one is small, but there's a separate hyper in each one. 'S amazing what the newest technologies are getting at."
They passed the engine rooms, and the two cargo holds, to come out into a two-story opening with a staircase leading upwards. To the left, another hallway led to the docking port. On the opposite side of the stairs were two more rooms, sealed. One was labeled "Training Room", the other, "Cargo hold 3."
Fred waved at the door labeled "Training Room." "Pretty standard fitness room, really, but big enough to be comfortable. We'll go up these stairs here to the main level." Indeed, though the ship was not enormous, it certainly seemed so once you were inside. More than comfortable. How was she going to pay for it? It had to be more than she was willing to spend, it just had to be.
The stairs, tastefully designed yet not too artsy, led upwards to the main deck. As Alex ascended, her breath caught at the simple beauty of the main level. It felt.right. The stairs brought them to a large open mess and reclining area, complete with what looked suspiciously like comfortable couches. It was all in pleasant, yet neutral blues and grays, pleasing to the psyche. The stairs kept climbing, but they stayed on the main level.
Fred turned around to look at Alex. "Main deck, m'dear. Mess stocked with luxury food synthesizer-makes anything you'd ever like to eat. The living quarters are contained in the back half of the ship, four of them, those doors you see there." Alex took in the living quarters, one of whose doors was open to reveal a comforting-looking, large room.
"The other half is all business, I'll show you all that first," Fred started rubbing his hands together. "To the left, next to the last living quarter there, is the VR-net lab. It's a little small, but the antenna we got on this ship's encoded with some pretty high security, but if you feel the need to make your own adjustments, please do. Memory's pretty high on all of the simulations you have on the ship, for some reason the boys working on it decided to put all sorts of stuff on there," He shook his head, chuckling. "Over on the other side, opposite the VR lab is the Med and Cryo rooms. Now this Med program we've got in there is top-notch, really. Take care of every basic thing and some of the advanced. Plus it's got a pretty sweet lil' drug synth, so you don't worry about stocking things."
Finally, they got to the two largest doors, which were at the front of the ship. "The bridge," said Fred, walking through briskly as the doors open with a soft whoosh. While the rest of the main deck was designed for comfort, all the qualities of a home, the bridge was indeed "all business." Alex drew in an awestruck breath before she could stop herself. The sleek consoles were beautiful, in their own way, showcasing technologies Alex had no idea even existed. She had never been on the bridge of a ship. The few times she had actually been on a ship she had been ushered to her seat or section like nothing more than cattle. But this-this was amazing. If there was any indication that she was definitely not living in the past, this was it. Mankind had conquered space travel, and now it would be her, in her own ship, experiencing it.
Riddick watched Alex carefully behind his glasses. He could tell, even though she was trying to control it, that this ship had made quite an impression. Truth be told, it was a far better ship than he thought they would have had access to. This Josef fellow must have higher contacts than expected. It made Riddick suspicious. Why would these two men go out of their way, bend over backwards, to help Alex? She was just an employee, a bartender. What made her so special?
'She got you go to on this wild goose chase, just for a stinking kid, didn't she?' the thought came into Riddick's mind. But it wasn't just her. It was Jack. That thought was sobering. Never before had there been anyone who put such a wholehearted trust in him, had idolized him, like Jack had. It was a child's trust, but it was trust. Something he had not felt for a long time. In the slam and on the streets, you didn't trust people farther than you could see them, and mostly not even them. It was a minute-to-minute agreement that the other would not try to kill you-or you would kill them first. But with Jack, and even to some extent with Alex, the trust was there. She had trusted him to haggle out the details for the ship that she would be buying, no questions asked. Perhaps she didn't' realize how naïve that was-but then again, perhaps it was this strange beast, trust, that she had in him.
The ship was certainly of the highest quality for privately manufactured or modified ships. And Towa had certainly known his stuff, especially for the owner of a company such as this. Riddick had expected to be shipped off to a greasy salesperson or have to talk to a mechanic in order to get what he wanted, but this operation was knowledgeable and well put-together. And, judging from what Towa had said, a great deal of it tried to go under the radar of the United Coalition. This ship certainly did. It had been a long time since he had seen such top-notch technology and quality on anything other than a Coalition ship. His brief stint in the UC troops, or the UC Involuntaries as some liked to call them, flight school had given him the knowledge to pilot just about anything, and a passable ability at navigation. But that chapter of his life had closed with a dishonorable discharge before he had even been sent out on active duty, only two years after he had been admitted at the age of thirteen. His intelligence and aptitude for technology had gotten him raised above most of the other "streets" and into the ranks of wealthier sons and daughters. But that same intelligence had made him unwilling to play the subservient little games of that grouping, and an attitude hardened by life without any support made him solitary and mean. He had stepped on too many toes and crossed too many lines to stay around for long. He was packed off to the streets from which he came. And then things got interesting.
"I've gotta tell you, it's pretty standard setup," Towa's voice broke through Riddick's brief reverie. "For even a basic pilot, it's easy enough to handle. But with enough mods and new tech to sweeten the deal. Worked on it myself," he said, smiling with pleasure. "Show ya the rest now."
They got a tour of the rest of the ship in short order. Impressive, compact but a spacious-seeming setup. An interesting contact, Towa was. So he had worked on this ship himself? And he was willing to sell it at a discounted price to an employee of a friend? What was with these people? They were just too nice. It put Riddick off-guard, yet he could see nothing to justify his suspicions. He couldn't remember the last time someone had been uncommonly kind without wanting something in return. At least, before he had come across the passengers of the Hunter-Gratzner. For some reason, their dire circumstances made them band together, and some forgot, if only for moments at a time, what he was.
A thought floated into his consciousness from some deep corner. 'What are you?' Riddick himself was redefining it every hour, ever since one woman had given her life while saving him. Blood debt, in some sense. She gave her life to try and help him live when she came back for him. That had helped crack the hardness which named him animal and killer. Then another woman actually dragged him into the livesaving skiff, instead of herself alone. So now he found himself trying to repay it, had warned them when Jack was in trouble, and now was mired in it. Was it only for the chance to fly a ship and a paltry twenty thousand, and the guilt he felt now that Jack was gone? Or was it truly a desire to "rejoin the human race"? As he had done since he could remember, every detail was filed away, from what he had found of Jack to what he tried to uncover in himself. As he sat staring at the consoles before him, Alex and Towa had moved through the doors towards the med lab.
Alex could not read the expression on Riddick's face as he looked over the consoles. It had melted from cold and calculating to pensive and confused. He noticed that she and Fred had moved off the bridge and smoothed his features again into impassivity, following them through the door. What have you done, girl? she asked herself. But now was not the time to contemplate the repercussions of her actions. All that existed now was the goal: to get Jack out of what seemed to be her own private hell.
Inside the sterile, metallic medlab, and in the rest of the ship, was the miraculous synthesizer. Drugs in the lab, food and clothing in the mess. One of the most remarkable advances, it could make just about anything, provided it had the correct base materials.
Fred noticed her examining them, and reported that the extra stock for them was in the cargo holds. Then he took them up the smaller, spiral stairway to the hydroponics bay. As they ascended to the highest point of the ship, the door slid open, wafting a familiar, earthy smell to the three of them. Alex breathed deep, the scent triggering memories of gardens and forests of Earth. A small smile turned up the corners of her mouth. Pleasanter days, she thought as they walked through the door to reveal a surprisingly high- ceilinged, domed room lush with all sorts of vegetation. Everywhere she looked it was green. The floor under their feet was sentimentally carpeted with a central walkway, and grass. Real grass. The surroundings were clearly divided into vegetables, fruits, and flowering plants. Vines came down from those plants climbing the walls and part of the ceiling, and it was all lit by artificial sunshine from the ceiling, made to look like the bluest sky. It was beautiful.
"Of course," Fred was explaining, "this doesn't supply all the oxygen to the ship, not by far, but it helps recycle the carbon dioxide and makes the ship recycling system more efficient. Never hurts to have some reminders of home, either." He smiled at it all. "And this is the only part, other than the autopilot AI functions of the bridge, with robotic support for pollination and tending, so it can literally go untouched for weeks and will not fail."
He shooed them out before him, muttering about the grav system in the second half of the upper level, then walked down the stairs to the main mess. "Well?" he said, questioning but with a twinkle in his eye. He knew that the ship was almost too good to be true.
Alex was so tempted to say "It's gorgeous, I'll take it!" but brought herself up short. Not the best way to start haggling, and not the best thing to say in front of either. Don't let them know you love it. Besides, if it's too expensive, she couldn't have it. It's just a ship, after all.
"Impressive," said Riddick, breaking into her thoughts. To Alex's surprise, he actually sounded like he meant it.
"Yah, it is at that," Fred replied proudly, gazing at it one last time. "Now down to the price, as I'm sure you're wonderin'. Thing is, these aren't even on the market for my regular customers, and are usually special- ordered with more mods. But," he trailed off, looking at the two of them consideringly, "seeing as how Josef tells me to take care of ya, and you both look hungry for the look of the place, I'll let you have it for.fifty thou."
Silence met Fred's remark. Alex was shocked. Fifty thousand was much less than she thought she would have to stretch her finances. She was sure that it would be at least eighty. The ship was beautiful. Fifty thousand had to be a joke-but Fred gave no indication that it was.
She looked at Riddick, a questioning eyebrow raised slightly. 'Please, tell me that the specs are okay,' she thought at him, hoping he got her drift, and cursing at the same time that she didn't know this area and had to depend on him. A small nod confirmed that they were. He had known exactly what she meant, and also knew exactly that the price Fred had quoted them was a gift, not a purchase.
"Done," Alex said, smiling back at Fred as she extended a hand to him.
Fred gave her a cheeky smile as he shook her hand. "I knew you were in love with it, m'dear. I like you, and your partner, so I'll give it to yeh fully stocked for deep space." He shook his head, his expression dark for a moment. "UC bastards won't know about it if you take off from my landing strip here, so I'll let you in for that." Smiling again, he turned to go down the ramp again.
This is mine, Alex thought, giving one last look around.
"Hey Fred!" she called.
"Yes?"
"What's it named?"
"The Anubis"
The next hour passed as if in a blur. Alex was sure it was nervous energy, and only that, which kept her going. They returned to Fred's office and Alex paid him, using the chip from her armband which surprised both Fred and Riddick. Then for the next half an hour, she and Riddick were bade to have a seat in the private waiting room while the ship was prepared, pushed to the front of the list for takeoff. Riddick spent that time wordlessly tapping the keys of the minimum security net station in the corner, as Alex merely sat staring at the sea green walls trying to make a plan to actually get into the Tumioni compound. A stealthy "sneak in and disable the guards" wouldn't work, Alex was sure of it. These people couldn't be stupid if they were the most powerful shipping family out there. But the most powerful also had weaknesses. Most loved to savor their success, especially by showing off to those underneath them. They also enjoyed the petty, political games their underlings played with each other, jockeying for power. They enjoyed it when it was right under their noses. It occurred to Alex, wouldn't the most powerful family in the United Coalition hold a few social gatherings, to watch others pander to them and exhibit their wealth? And what better place to do that than in their own compound? It was a perfect opportunity for one of them to get in with that crowd, instead of attempting covert activities.
Alex glanced over at Riddick, who outwardly seemed dispassionate but the set of his shoulders told her he was intent on his work at the moment. And she did need him to do work of that nature, as she couldn't do it herself. She decided to leave him alone for a time, and attempt to find her opening in the Tumioni social armor once they were on the ship and under better security.
The doors to the waiting room whooshed open, and a young man with black hair and blue eyes walked in. One of the salesmen she had seen on the floor. Both Alex and Riddick had turned their heads to look at him, and after a moment of confusion, he put on a wide, almost flirtatious smile and sauntered over to Alex.
"Miss Bennet? The Anubis is ready for departure. Mr. Towa sends his regards and regrets that business renders him unable to accompany you. He did, however, say that I will be showing you personally to the transport module and to the ship itself." At this, he extended a hand to help her get up, smiling confidently.
Alex could have laughed out loud. Usually she would have come back with a snappish comment, but the recent purchase had put her into an excited, giddy mood. The man couldn't have been more than twenty-two, and he was attractive, but certainly the type who knew he was. And holding out a hand for her? She smiled slightly to have some release, rather than laugh in his face. Then she stood on her own and nodded at him, amused at his disappointed expression. Some part of her was remotely intrigued, that he was-flirting with her. It was only the rollercoaster of moods she had been in, and the recent warmth she had felt from Josef, Ty, and Fred Towa today, that prevented her from being utterly cold to him. It had been years since she had allowed a look like that from a man to touch her in any way but annoyance.
"Lead the way," she said. The man started to go towards the door.
A creaking of a chair announced that Riddick, too, had risen. "Ladies first," he rumbled in an amused tone. A flash of irritation for that old, chivalrous fascination which had lasted so many years, was replaced by the realization that it was the young man who was brought up, startled, as he went through the door. Alex had to bite her lip to stop from laughing, and then tilted her head at the boy, raising her eyebrows with an innocent smile.
"Ahem, yes," he muttered, looking flustered once his eyes had taken in what she assumed was the considerable muscle of Riddick standing behind her. In that phrase from Riddick, the young man's confident expression had dropped and he strode nervously ahead of them, leading them eventually to a small skimmer transport. The skimmer took them to the city limits, where many private airfields were located. The boy led them to the docking area of the ship, where he thrust a packet of papers into Alex's arms and opened up the ramp for them.
"Mr. Towa said that you only need program the voice identification once, and that can be done from the bridge. You have clearance for takeoff with his personal tower at your leisure, as there are no other takeoffs from this strip today. He also stated that your pilot," at this he glanced between the two of them, "was well-versed enough to plot a course out of the Moltai traffic. As you see, here we are fairly isolated. The station tower is aware of your takeoff but not of your destination."
At this abbreviated statement, he turned on his heel and walked quickly back to the transport, leaving Alex and Riddick alone facing the Anubis. Alex shouldered her bag, still not believing that this beautiful ship was now hers, and after a moment's hesitation, walked onto the ship. They still had to get to Jack.
"Lights!" she called, following Fred's example from before. She strode quickly to the stairs, hearing Riddick's heavy tread behind her. For once, Alex didn't care about who was going first or last. It was her ship and damned if she wasn't going to be the first one to get to the bridge. Going up the stairs, she immediately went into the bridge. All of the terminals had power on. She went to the largest one and sat down in the black synthleather chair, pressing the screen where it said "Touch to begin."
A female voice came across the speakers. "Welcome to the Anubis. Please identify yourself."
Chapter 8 Anubis
The dividing curtains parted with a soft hiss, revealing a beautiful example of modern mechanical wonders. Only a luxurious vessel like this would have an outer coat of paint that mattered, and it was a gleaming dark gray, almost black. The sleek, smooth lines of the ship were accented by the silvery reflection of the lights. It was beautiful. The large engines at the back fit perfectly into the elliptical shape, enhancing it, not disrupting it. Overall, it was smaller than many transgalaxial ships, but still large enough to be considered spacious. Alex couldn't wait to see the inside, and even though she had extremely limited experience with today's space travel technology, see what it had to offer.
All of the anger, all of the negativity she had been holding inside all day was cut through, for a moment, by the giddiness of a young girl. 'This is mine,' she thought to herself, realizing only now what "buying a ship" meant. It was like the first time she had bought a car, so long ago, only this was beyond any expectations she had.
"You want to see inside?" Fred asked, breaking the silence.
Alex merely smiled at him in return.
"C'mon then." He entered a code into the computer touch screen which caused the cargo ramp, at the rear of the ship, to lower. As Fred led Riddick and Alex towards it, he kept describing the specifications.
"This here is the cargo ramp. Originally we designed this one with.ahem.discreet shipments in mind," at this he grinned, almost like a boy who knew he was in trouble, "and there's a significant cargo hold on the lower level. Three, actually. This ramp takes us into the ship between them. It's got two main levels, and one atrium level, very shallow, for hydroponics. It's designed to be both a long and short term vessel, just in case. Lights!"
The ramp led up between the two engine ports, revealing a neutral, plain- looking hallway, with lights which were progressively turning on immediately after Fred had shouted the command. When they stepped on to the ship, ahead and to the right and left were large cargo doors, shut.
"We're walking between the two engine rooms right now," Fred told them. "They're divided, so each one is small, but there's a separate hyper in each one. 'S amazing what the newest technologies are getting at."
They passed the engine rooms, and the two cargo holds, to come out into a two-story opening with a staircase leading upwards. To the left, another hallway led to the docking port. On the opposite side of the stairs were two more rooms, sealed. One was labeled "Training Room", the other, "Cargo hold 3."
Fred waved at the door labeled "Training Room." "Pretty standard fitness room, really, but big enough to be comfortable. We'll go up these stairs here to the main level." Indeed, though the ship was not enormous, it certainly seemed so once you were inside. More than comfortable. How was she going to pay for it? It had to be more than she was willing to spend, it just had to be.
The stairs, tastefully designed yet not too artsy, led upwards to the main deck. As Alex ascended, her breath caught at the simple beauty of the main level. It felt.right. The stairs brought them to a large open mess and reclining area, complete with what looked suspiciously like comfortable couches. It was all in pleasant, yet neutral blues and grays, pleasing to the psyche. The stairs kept climbing, but they stayed on the main level.
Fred turned around to look at Alex. "Main deck, m'dear. Mess stocked with luxury food synthesizer-makes anything you'd ever like to eat. The living quarters are contained in the back half of the ship, four of them, those doors you see there." Alex took in the living quarters, one of whose doors was open to reveal a comforting-looking, large room.
"The other half is all business, I'll show you all that first," Fred started rubbing his hands together. "To the left, next to the last living quarter there, is the VR-net lab. It's a little small, but the antenna we got on this ship's encoded with some pretty high security, but if you feel the need to make your own adjustments, please do. Memory's pretty high on all of the simulations you have on the ship, for some reason the boys working on it decided to put all sorts of stuff on there," He shook his head, chuckling. "Over on the other side, opposite the VR lab is the Med and Cryo rooms. Now this Med program we've got in there is top-notch, really. Take care of every basic thing and some of the advanced. Plus it's got a pretty sweet lil' drug synth, so you don't worry about stocking things."
Finally, they got to the two largest doors, which were at the front of the ship. "The bridge," said Fred, walking through briskly as the doors open with a soft whoosh. While the rest of the main deck was designed for comfort, all the qualities of a home, the bridge was indeed "all business." Alex drew in an awestruck breath before she could stop herself. The sleek consoles were beautiful, in their own way, showcasing technologies Alex had no idea even existed. She had never been on the bridge of a ship. The few times she had actually been on a ship she had been ushered to her seat or section like nothing more than cattle. But this-this was amazing. If there was any indication that she was definitely not living in the past, this was it. Mankind had conquered space travel, and now it would be her, in her own ship, experiencing it.
Riddick watched Alex carefully behind his glasses. He could tell, even though she was trying to control it, that this ship had made quite an impression. Truth be told, it was a far better ship than he thought they would have had access to. This Josef fellow must have higher contacts than expected. It made Riddick suspicious. Why would these two men go out of their way, bend over backwards, to help Alex? She was just an employee, a bartender. What made her so special?
'She got you go to on this wild goose chase, just for a stinking kid, didn't she?' the thought came into Riddick's mind. But it wasn't just her. It was Jack. That thought was sobering. Never before had there been anyone who put such a wholehearted trust in him, had idolized him, like Jack had. It was a child's trust, but it was trust. Something he had not felt for a long time. In the slam and on the streets, you didn't trust people farther than you could see them, and mostly not even them. It was a minute-to-minute agreement that the other would not try to kill you-or you would kill them first. But with Jack, and even to some extent with Alex, the trust was there. She had trusted him to haggle out the details for the ship that she would be buying, no questions asked. Perhaps she didn't' realize how naïve that was-but then again, perhaps it was this strange beast, trust, that she had in him.
The ship was certainly of the highest quality for privately manufactured or modified ships. And Towa had certainly known his stuff, especially for the owner of a company such as this. Riddick had expected to be shipped off to a greasy salesperson or have to talk to a mechanic in order to get what he wanted, but this operation was knowledgeable and well put-together. And, judging from what Towa had said, a great deal of it tried to go under the radar of the United Coalition. This ship certainly did. It had been a long time since he had seen such top-notch technology and quality on anything other than a Coalition ship. His brief stint in the UC troops, or the UC Involuntaries as some liked to call them, flight school had given him the knowledge to pilot just about anything, and a passable ability at navigation. But that chapter of his life had closed with a dishonorable discharge before he had even been sent out on active duty, only two years after he had been admitted at the age of thirteen. His intelligence and aptitude for technology had gotten him raised above most of the other "streets" and into the ranks of wealthier sons and daughters. But that same intelligence had made him unwilling to play the subservient little games of that grouping, and an attitude hardened by life without any support made him solitary and mean. He had stepped on too many toes and crossed too many lines to stay around for long. He was packed off to the streets from which he came. And then things got interesting.
"I've gotta tell you, it's pretty standard setup," Towa's voice broke through Riddick's brief reverie. "For even a basic pilot, it's easy enough to handle. But with enough mods and new tech to sweeten the deal. Worked on it myself," he said, smiling with pleasure. "Show ya the rest now."
They got a tour of the rest of the ship in short order. Impressive, compact but a spacious-seeming setup. An interesting contact, Towa was. So he had worked on this ship himself? And he was willing to sell it at a discounted price to an employee of a friend? What was with these people? They were just too nice. It put Riddick off-guard, yet he could see nothing to justify his suspicions. He couldn't remember the last time someone had been uncommonly kind without wanting something in return. At least, before he had come across the passengers of the Hunter-Gratzner. For some reason, their dire circumstances made them band together, and some forgot, if only for moments at a time, what he was.
A thought floated into his consciousness from some deep corner. 'What are you?' Riddick himself was redefining it every hour, ever since one woman had given her life while saving him. Blood debt, in some sense. She gave her life to try and help him live when she came back for him. That had helped crack the hardness which named him animal and killer. Then another woman actually dragged him into the livesaving skiff, instead of herself alone. So now he found himself trying to repay it, had warned them when Jack was in trouble, and now was mired in it. Was it only for the chance to fly a ship and a paltry twenty thousand, and the guilt he felt now that Jack was gone? Or was it truly a desire to "rejoin the human race"? As he had done since he could remember, every detail was filed away, from what he had found of Jack to what he tried to uncover in himself. As he sat staring at the consoles before him, Alex and Towa had moved through the doors towards the med lab.
Alex could not read the expression on Riddick's face as he looked over the consoles. It had melted from cold and calculating to pensive and confused. He noticed that she and Fred had moved off the bridge and smoothed his features again into impassivity, following them through the door. What have you done, girl? she asked herself. But now was not the time to contemplate the repercussions of her actions. All that existed now was the goal: to get Jack out of what seemed to be her own private hell.
Inside the sterile, metallic medlab, and in the rest of the ship, was the miraculous synthesizer. Drugs in the lab, food and clothing in the mess. One of the most remarkable advances, it could make just about anything, provided it had the correct base materials.
Fred noticed her examining them, and reported that the extra stock for them was in the cargo holds. Then he took them up the smaller, spiral stairway to the hydroponics bay. As they ascended to the highest point of the ship, the door slid open, wafting a familiar, earthy smell to the three of them. Alex breathed deep, the scent triggering memories of gardens and forests of Earth. A small smile turned up the corners of her mouth. Pleasanter days, she thought as they walked through the door to reveal a surprisingly high- ceilinged, domed room lush with all sorts of vegetation. Everywhere she looked it was green. The floor under their feet was sentimentally carpeted with a central walkway, and grass. Real grass. The surroundings were clearly divided into vegetables, fruits, and flowering plants. Vines came down from those plants climbing the walls and part of the ceiling, and it was all lit by artificial sunshine from the ceiling, made to look like the bluest sky. It was beautiful.
"Of course," Fred was explaining, "this doesn't supply all the oxygen to the ship, not by far, but it helps recycle the carbon dioxide and makes the ship recycling system more efficient. Never hurts to have some reminders of home, either." He smiled at it all. "And this is the only part, other than the autopilot AI functions of the bridge, with robotic support for pollination and tending, so it can literally go untouched for weeks and will not fail."
He shooed them out before him, muttering about the grav system in the second half of the upper level, then walked down the stairs to the main mess. "Well?" he said, questioning but with a twinkle in his eye. He knew that the ship was almost too good to be true.
Alex was so tempted to say "It's gorgeous, I'll take it!" but brought herself up short. Not the best way to start haggling, and not the best thing to say in front of either. Don't let them know you love it. Besides, if it's too expensive, she couldn't have it. It's just a ship, after all.
"Impressive," said Riddick, breaking into her thoughts. To Alex's surprise, he actually sounded like he meant it.
"Yah, it is at that," Fred replied proudly, gazing at it one last time. "Now down to the price, as I'm sure you're wonderin'. Thing is, these aren't even on the market for my regular customers, and are usually special- ordered with more mods. But," he trailed off, looking at the two of them consideringly, "seeing as how Josef tells me to take care of ya, and you both look hungry for the look of the place, I'll let you have it for.fifty thou."
Silence met Fred's remark. Alex was shocked. Fifty thousand was much less than she thought she would have to stretch her finances. She was sure that it would be at least eighty. The ship was beautiful. Fifty thousand had to be a joke-but Fred gave no indication that it was.
She looked at Riddick, a questioning eyebrow raised slightly. 'Please, tell me that the specs are okay,' she thought at him, hoping he got her drift, and cursing at the same time that she didn't know this area and had to depend on him. A small nod confirmed that they were. He had known exactly what she meant, and also knew exactly that the price Fred had quoted them was a gift, not a purchase.
"Done," Alex said, smiling back at Fred as she extended a hand to him.
Fred gave her a cheeky smile as he shook her hand. "I knew you were in love with it, m'dear. I like you, and your partner, so I'll give it to yeh fully stocked for deep space." He shook his head, his expression dark for a moment. "UC bastards won't know about it if you take off from my landing strip here, so I'll let you in for that." Smiling again, he turned to go down the ramp again.
This is mine, Alex thought, giving one last look around.
"Hey Fred!" she called.
"Yes?"
"What's it named?"
"The Anubis"
The next hour passed as if in a blur. Alex was sure it was nervous energy, and only that, which kept her going. They returned to Fred's office and Alex paid him, using the chip from her armband which surprised both Fred and Riddick. Then for the next half an hour, she and Riddick were bade to have a seat in the private waiting room while the ship was prepared, pushed to the front of the list for takeoff. Riddick spent that time wordlessly tapping the keys of the minimum security net station in the corner, as Alex merely sat staring at the sea green walls trying to make a plan to actually get into the Tumioni compound. A stealthy "sneak in and disable the guards" wouldn't work, Alex was sure of it. These people couldn't be stupid if they were the most powerful shipping family out there. But the most powerful also had weaknesses. Most loved to savor their success, especially by showing off to those underneath them. They also enjoyed the petty, political games their underlings played with each other, jockeying for power. They enjoyed it when it was right under their noses. It occurred to Alex, wouldn't the most powerful family in the United Coalition hold a few social gatherings, to watch others pander to them and exhibit their wealth? And what better place to do that than in their own compound? It was a perfect opportunity for one of them to get in with that crowd, instead of attempting covert activities.
Alex glanced over at Riddick, who outwardly seemed dispassionate but the set of his shoulders told her he was intent on his work at the moment. And she did need him to do work of that nature, as she couldn't do it herself. She decided to leave him alone for a time, and attempt to find her opening in the Tumioni social armor once they were on the ship and under better security.
The doors to the waiting room whooshed open, and a young man with black hair and blue eyes walked in. One of the salesmen she had seen on the floor. Both Alex and Riddick had turned their heads to look at him, and after a moment of confusion, he put on a wide, almost flirtatious smile and sauntered over to Alex.
"Miss Bennet? The Anubis is ready for departure. Mr. Towa sends his regards and regrets that business renders him unable to accompany you. He did, however, say that I will be showing you personally to the transport module and to the ship itself." At this, he extended a hand to help her get up, smiling confidently.
Alex could have laughed out loud. Usually she would have come back with a snappish comment, but the recent purchase had put her into an excited, giddy mood. The man couldn't have been more than twenty-two, and he was attractive, but certainly the type who knew he was. And holding out a hand for her? She smiled slightly to have some release, rather than laugh in his face. Then she stood on her own and nodded at him, amused at his disappointed expression. Some part of her was remotely intrigued, that he was-flirting with her. It was only the rollercoaster of moods she had been in, and the recent warmth she had felt from Josef, Ty, and Fred Towa today, that prevented her from being utterly cold to him. It had been years since she had allowed a look like that from a man to touch her in any way but annoyance.
"Lead the way," she said. The man started to go towards the door.
A creaking of a chair announced that Riddick, too, had risen. "Ladies first," he rumbled in an amused tone. A flash of irritation for that old, chivalrous fascination which had lasted so many years, was replaced by the realization that it was the young man who was brought up, startled, as he went through the door. Alex had to bite her lip to stop from laughing, and then tilted her head at the boy, raising her eyebrows with an innocent smile.
"Ahem, yes," he muttered, looking flustered once his eyes had taken in what she assumed was the considerable muscle of Riddick standing behind her. In that phrase from Riddick, the young man's confident expression had dropped and he strode nervously ahead of them, leading them eventually to a small skimmer transport. The skimmer took them to the city limits, where many private airfields were located. The boy led them to the docking area of the ship, where he thrust a packet of papers into Alex's arms and opened up the ramp for them.
"Mr. Towa said that you only need program the voice identification once, and that can be done from the bridge. You have clearance for takeoff with his personal tower at your leisure, as there are no other takeoffs from this strip today. He also stated that your pilot," at this he glanced between the two of them, "was well-versed enough to plot a course out of the Moltai traffic. As you see, here we are fairly isolated. The station tower is aware of your takeoff but not of your destination."
At this abbreviated statement, he turned on his heel and walked quickly back to the transport, leaving Alex and Riddick alone facing the Anubis. Alex shouldered her bag, still not believing that this beautiful ship was now hers, and after a moment's hesitation, walked onto the ship. They still had to get to Jack.
"Lights!" she called, following Fred's example from before. She strode quickly to the stairs, hearing Riddick's heavy tread behind her. For once, Alex didn't care about who was going first or last. It was her ship and damned if she wasn't going to be the first one to get to the bridge. Going up the stairs, she immediately went into the bridge. All of the terminals had power on. She went to the largest one and sat down in the black synthleather chair, pressing the screen where it said "Touch to begin."
A female voice came across the speakers. "Welcome to the Anubis. Please identify yourself."