THE MOTHER LODE BY ABRAXIS
-
-
Chapter 14 - EVERYONE HAS THEIR LIMIT
-
-
Jeeter's mind was full ah all kinds ah ideas as he followed Lady and Barrol down the gangway. This was turning into about the best move he'd ever made. Gonna learn shiv work from Barrol and maybe some really good moves from Mr. Sen. That metal shop ah Pretty Boy's was a dream. The guy knew his stuff about that. Might be something to learn there, too, if they didn't end up throwing the crud outa an airlock. Then there was that night vision. But he'd wait to see how Lady and Barrol got on with it. He'd heard what Barrol said about colors and displays. Lady said this was different but better make sure. Working with displays was important. He wasn't in Ben's class but he could make the system work for him when he needed to.
'Sides, Jeeter really liked color. He ran his hand over his gold vest and the insignia on it. He'd ah put a lot more ah it into the uniforms if it hada been his choice. But seeing it all come together, he had to admit that Lady knew what she was doing. And man-oh-man, these capes were the top ah the pile. Even had the big guy strutting until he caught himself.
Through the gangway, into the hidden elevator and out on the third level. Then Barrol telling 'em how to go into the library. Ben first, and step two slots to the left just inside. Then Jeeter and left beside Ben. Barrol next, and going right. Finally Lady, right down the middle without stopping as they formed up behind her. Barrol might not know squat about clothes but he sure knew how to stage an attack, even a 'nice' one.
It worked like a charm. All of 'em were looking in the right direction and worried when Lady walked in, looking just as bad as she could be, and handed 'em a glad-to-see-you smile. They latched onto it like it was a life line. Well, maybe Mr. Sen and Syrus weren't more that a little uneasy but the other three made up for it. Lady took the advantage and got right down to business. She sat at the end ah the long narrow library table and signaled the kid to pass out the legal bullshit. Jeeter followed Barrol's lead and they went at-ease standing on either side ah her. As soon as eacha the five had their copies, Lady waved 'em toward the table.
"Please, sit. This business will go better if we are all comfortable."
They sat. Ben stayed standing beside Jeeter, doing his best to mimic the at-ease but way to excited to make it work.
"I understand that there is some question as to the necessity of my shouldering the responsibility of Captain of this ship. The documents that Ben has given you explain not only the requirements for captaincy but also the responsibilities that it carries and the lengths a captain is allowed in order to see that his ability to fulfill those responsibilities is not interfered with. It also details the legal repercussions, punishment, for a captain convicted of any illegal uses of his ship. An example: knowingly smuggling wanted persons or prohibited weapons. Once all of you are aware of this information we can continue."
Lady relaxed back in her chair. Syrus started reading. So did David. Mr. Sen scanned the stuff like somebody who knew what should be there and was just checking to see that it was. The chit, Sasha, was too busy trying to eye flirt with Barrol to be interested in paper work. Cameron was trying to read but his concentration was shit 'cause Sasha's flirting was irritating the hell outa him. Now, that was interesting. The chit was David's wife but Cameron was the one getting pissed.
Jeeter used the time to take a better look at David. Ben had said that the guy had been gray haired since he was twenty, just part of his DNA, and was only maybe thirty-five or six. He looked a lot older to Jeeter, older and just about as sick as a guy could be and still be standing. Jeeter tried to see what Lady coulda seen in the guy. When he was standing, Jeeter had seen that he was taller than Lady, without those platforms, but not as tall as Barrol, maybe halfway between. His face woulda been kinda good looking if it wasn't thin and all hollow like. He had a medium build, ok but nothing special, and he was soft. Had good hands.
A whore had told Jeeter that good hands were a real turn on. She'd liked his enough to give him a freebie once in a while. Truth was, any place he landed he never had to pay for it more than a few times before the word got around and there was always one ah the girls in a generous mood for him. Hell, he knew they were treating him like a pet puppy, but what's to complain about. Whores had been kinder and sweeter to him than any 'honest' woman had ever been; 'cept his mother ..... and now Lady. The few times he had killed, other than that one stupid battle he got shoved into before he AWOLed, it had been some scum that had hurt one ah his sweet ladies. Did the first one when he was just fifteen and right outa boot.
He came outa his remembering to find David looking at him. Seeing that Jeeter had caught him at it, he ducked his face. But Jeeter had a good enough look to know what had drawn Lady to him. The eyes were blue but they had that open, kinda helpless look like a deer's. Shit! Lady mighta loved him but she sure as hell couldn'ta been in love with him. Jeeter decided that David hadn't been anything more to Lady than another take-care-ah like Ben. The fool shoulda stayed with her 'steada getting himself tied up with the chit. But better for Lady that he didn't.
Jeeter glanced back around the group. Mr. Sen looked like he was meditating. Syrus was looking patiently bored. Sasha was looking impatiently bored 'cause Barrol was ignoring her. David was looking miserable, like he just wanted the whole thing over. Cameron, the only one still reading, was turning a little green around the edges. Jeeter figured he'd got to those 'repercussions'. Found out that captains were the ones that got hung by the neck until they were dead, dead, dead.
And that was just in the civilized parts ah the galaxy. In the uncivilized parts they got shoved outa the airlock ah their own ship without a pressure suit. In the really barbaric parts it was with a suit and an air umbilical and they weren't cut loose until they were dead, dead, dead. The real pervs in the squad had talked about how much fun it was to leave the suit mike open and listen to 'em scream and beg or pray. Said all of 'em went crazy before the end.
Jeeter watched as Cameron laid down the papers. He looked worse than David. The chit whispered something to him. When he didn't answer, she hissed in his ear again and he hissed right back at her and put the page that had turned him green under her nose. The rebellion was over for him. The chit had other ideas. If pretty boy wasn't gonna be captain, she'd see what other trouble she could make. She aimed her next comments at the rest ah the group. The cutesy little girl voice that Jeeter had liked came out all razor blades and broken glass.
"So she's captain! Big deal! That doesn't give her any right to tell the rest of us what to do. And those muscle heads of hers don't belong here. This is a group meeting."
Jeeter decided that he didn't want his dick anywhere near the bitch. She needed the kinda lessons that he wasn't into. But, he knew a dozen slave markets where he could trade her off for something sweet and grateful, maybe two somethings. Plenty of buyers in those places who weren't as soft-hearted as he was. 'Course he was pretty sure that Lady wouldn't go for that but it was fun to think about.
There was a long silence. Lady stayed lounged back and relaxed, just waiting to see how the others jumped. It was Syrus that finally broke it. Jeeter got a whole new respect for him. The face was lazy and bored but the eyes were sharp, hard. His slow cultured drawl stretched the words, separating the syllables, but they still sounded crisp and clear. He spoke in a rhythm like a weaving cobra getting ready to strike and his soft tone dripped with nasty.
"You really should take the time to learn to read, Sasha. As captain of this ship, she has exactly that right. Also, if you had any talent for listening, the intercom announcement made it very clear that the Captain called this meeting not the group. Therefore, the First and Second Officers have not only the right but the duty to be here. Now, I suggest that you shut up and let her get on with the business she wishes to discuss with us."
Jeeter expected the chit to blaze back at him. Instead, she cowered away from him until she was almost in Cameron's lap. Syrus smiled almost pleasantly. Lady had sure been right about not judging him by G. Syrus was one cold mother fucker. Jeeter checked the rest ah the group. A look of satisfaction blinked across David's face and was gone so fast that Jeeter almost missed it. Shit, why didn't he just slap the bitch down himself. Cameron looked like he wanted to do something but didn't have the guts to. Mr. Sen was being very oriental, kinda above it all. But, after a little more silence, he was the one to get things rolling.
"I to am most interested in the Captain's reasons for this meeting." He turned toward Lady. "Please accept my apology, Captain, for this little family disagreement. I am sure that we all shall be most receptive if you will honor us by continuing with any other matters you wish to address."
Now, Lady sat up and leaned forward, her elbows on the table. She looked serious like a captain was suppose to.
"There are only two categories of people on board a ship: passengers and crew. To be blunt, neither this ship nor our group have any need of passengers. The group has too much to learn if we are to survive and this ship needs to be properly manned. I will deal with the easiest assignments first. Syrus, are you willing to serve as Ship's Doctor? David, as Power Engineer? Jeff, as Systems Engineer?"
They all nodded. Lady nodded in return and got on with it.
"Mr. Sen, Sasha, as part of the crew, your titles would be Ship's Chaplain and Environment Enhancement Officer, respectively. These may sound like make-work but you have my assurance that they are not. We are going to be living in these close quarters, isolated, with only each other for company for a lengthy period. There are two things necessary for all of us to survive this. The first is someone to mediate interpersonal conflicts; yours, Mr. Sen. The other is someone to create pleasant group social interaction and diversion; you, Sasha.
"But both of you will have much more important duties related to the group's ability to adjust to the new life we are taking on. While First and Second are here to teach us the necessary arts to physically defend ourselves, their second and more important function is to begin our education in observing and adapting to any culture and social strata that we might encounter. The rule is: 'Stand out and you become a target; blend in to survive.' It is this function that the two of you will work together to enhance.
"As long as the ship is under normal running conditions, there will be one group meal, daily; a Saturday party-party; and a Sunday formal dinner. Attendance for all of these will be mandatory. What you choose to do with the daily meals would be up to you. The party and the formal dinner must be lessons in a different culture each week but of two different social strata of that culture. The theme culture and both strata should be announced each Monday and you would be responsible for judging how well the rest of us did our research and adapted our dress and behavior to that culture.
"This will require a great deal of effort in research and preparation but the lessons it will teach us are vital to the group's survival. I ask you the same question I asked the others. Are you willing to take these crew positions?"
Jeeter had been watching Sasha. Mr. Sen was no question. She was. But Lady played
her all the way. Damn, she started drooling for it with the party and the formal dinner. The judging what the others did part was the kill. But pairing her up with Mr. Sen? That one he was gonna have to think about. That one had layers and layers.
Lady put the titles on the crew contracts and signed 'em. Ben passed 'em out. Everybody signed and Ben picked 'em up again. Then Lady got that beautiful playful look on her face.
"Now we get to the fun part. Uniforms."
As Lady flipped up a section ah the table in front ah her that turned into a display and keyboard, Syrus smarted off.
"Oh, dear. I was afraid that was coming."
"Are you volunteering to be first, Syrus?"
He flashed her a wicked leer. Lady flashed back a sneer. But all Barrol saw was the leer and he didn't like it. Shit, Syrus had seen Barrol's jaw tighten, too, and was looking like it was funny.
"Oh no, I'm perfectly content to wait your pleasure, my Captain."
Sheeze, Syrus was baiting Barrol on purpose. This wasn't gonna be pretty.
"That's going to be a long wait, Syrus. My pleasure is already spoken for."
Way to go, Lady. She'd dropped all of 'em in their tracks. Even Barrol's jaw had gone slack and Mr. Sen's eyes had opened wide. Syrus' amusement turned a bit respectful.
"I believe Mr. Sen's uniform should be first."
A huge display lit up on the bulkhead to the left of the table and there was two Mr. Sens on it. Both in some kinda square sleeved robe with a wide sash around the waist. One was all black and the other was a really mellow yellow with a black sash. The little guy looked real good dressed that way. There was an inset ah his insignia, too, with a circle divided by a double curve so it looked like two tear drops, head to tail; or maybe little squiggly creatures 'cause it looked like they had eyes. Must be some kinda religious thing since Lady said he was the Chaplain. It'd sure be a nice design to use for the locks on a razor buckle.
"I thought something like this might be appropriate for you as Chaplain. The black is in satin, a dress uniform; the topaz, in syntho-cotton for a comfortable duty uniform. May I order them up for you or would you prefer a standard ship's uniform?"
Mr. Sen gave her one ah those half bows.
"I find the robe, the color and the insignia quite excellent. Thank you, Captain."
Lady hit a function key. Musta had the order keyed and waiting. Then another key and all four ah the others appeared on the screen. Insets ah insignia and the same black vests, trousers, boots and waist belts as the bridge crew but with the laced shirts. Next difference, each one had a different colored shirt: Syrus, deep sapphire; Cameron, emerald; Sasha, ruby; David, amethyst. Now, that was a surprise, amethyst for a guy, but it looked good with his silvered hair. In fact, all of 'em looked real good in the colors Lady picked. Sasha looked at little too good. Lady had left the laces real open and given her a black breast band and she done something with the shirt and vest. They were slimmed in below the band kinda fitted to Sasha's mid-drift, so the laces were nice and tight across the opening all the way up. Made the chit's rack look even better than it already did. The trousers were also trimmer, not tight like Lady's but not as bulky as the men's. Looked real fine and the chit knew it. She wasn't about to argue.
"Your dress uniforms will be the same but satin and will have the matching black cape. Does anyone wish to comment?"
Damned if Pretty Boy hadn't got some ah his bluff back.
"Why don't we have gold vests?"
At least the twit had enough sense not to ask about Lady's long vest.
"Gold vests are for the people who ride that perfect target sticking out in front called a bridge. I have a nav slot open if you would like to study for it, Jeff. In fact, anyone who would be willing to make the effort to qualify for that or as an auxiliary for any bridge position would be an asset. If we haven't been as clever as we hope and we end up in a fire-fight with Galactic, the Patrol or the Forces, we will suffer losses. I would like to see everyone in gold vests. You would, of course, retain the shirt color designating your primary duty slot. Any other comments?"
Pretty Boy shook his head 'no' with a nervous twitch. Lady looked around at the rest. Jeeter thought it was done until Syrus raised a finger and an eyebrow. Damn he sure liked playing games.
"I am quite satisfied with the uniform but I have another question. Those interesting pieces of hardware that you, First and Second are wearing but Ben isn't, are they a matter of privilege, also?"
Shit, that was the first time Jeeter had ever seen somebody who could look like they were thinking about kissing someone and sneer at the same time outside of a vid. Oh, he'd seen guys try to act like those vid villains. They always looked stupid. Syrus looked like the real thing that the vid actors were trying to look like. Lady seem to be used to it. She punched the order function key and then answered him.
"No. It's a matter of proficiency. Anyone who makes the effort to become proficient with any blade they choose can carry it."
Suddenly Lady's dagger was in her hand. She displayed it between her hands, hilt and point against her palms. Then it was gone again.
"But, the concealed weapon is much the more dangerous. All of you will find both dagger and stunner sheaths in your boots. They will be filled when you prove you can use them. Any other comments? ....... Good. Then, I suggest that you prepare for hyper. Since it has been such a long night for all of us, anyone who wishes to sleep it out, instead of being given a recovery shot, has permission to do so. Please inform Syrus of your choice. Syrus, you will com a list to the bridge. And Syrus, please refill this for me."
She made a show ah removing that killer earring, walking over and handing it to Syrus. This got her a pair ah raised eyebrows that she ignored. Lady sure had Syrus' number. That one was gonna twist his tail until he could get her to tell him all about it. She checked the chrono on the table display and then shut it down.
"You have thirty minutes before we jump."
As Lady led them out ah the library, Jeeter had a question he really wanted to ask her. When they hit the elevator, Barrol asked it for him.
"Is Syrus for real?"
Jeeter expected Lady to smile, make some sorta joke. 'Stead, she got serious, serious.
"Yes, he is. He's suave, cultured, sensuous, very intelligent and he can be a totally sadistic monster when he chooses to be. Be very careful during weapons practice because he will draw blood if you give him the chance and he is already proficient in one kind of blade. He is quite probably the only surgeon in the inner cluster who is just as talented with an actual scalpel as he is with a laser and he prefers the scalpel. That may be a valuable asset to an out-world settlement but in the inner cluster it's a sign of a pathological personality. Of course, so is killing a man with a poison earring and pirating a ship. We all have our little quirks. I would prefer that you didn't kill Syrus for his, however much he may deserve it."
Ok. Lady liked Syrus, monster and all. But that made sense, didn't it. She liked Barrol.
-
-
*************************************************************************
-
-
The meeting had gone much better than she had expected it would. She never doubted that she would be able to accomplish her basic goal but she had not expected to be so successful with the rest of it.
Ben's worry that Mr. Sen or Syrus would side with Jeff hadn't been a valid one. Mr. Sen had made his position perfectly clear in the message he had sent via Riddle. And Syrus ......... The only decision that Jeff could make that Syrus would agree with would be to die, painfully. No, the problem wasn't how to make certain that a vote would go her way; it was to see that it never came to a vote. A vote would solidify the lines of division in the group. Just the opposite needed to happen. The lines needed to be increasingly blurred until they either disappeared completely or at least reached a level of mutual tolerance.
While the regulations that Riddle had cited would stop the vote that wouldn't stop the rebellion. Enforced authority just wouldn't work with this group in this situation. Jeff and David, the only sheep in the lot, would still need to be given logical arguments to justify their cooperation. The legalities would do for David but Jeff needed added justification since he would be backing down from his challenge position. Detailing the responsibilities and consequences had given him that.
Mr. Sen, Syrus and Sasha were all predators. Within limits, Mr. Sen and Syrus would willingly accept her authority because they didn't want to be bothered with the responsibilities of leadership themselves. The more successful she was at exercising that authority in an acceptable manner the more those limits would ease. Sasha, without a doubt the instigator of this challenge, was the problem.
Since she wanted Jeff to be Captain because she wanted the prestige of being the Captain's woman, the answer was to give her position and prestige in her own right. The trick was to use the one area of expertise in which her low self-esteem allowed her to feel capable; social maven. Jenna had known that this was the solution for Sasha's problems for a long time but the environment of the Institute didn't offer any opportunity to engineer that. The environment of the ship did.
The association with Mr. Sen would not only give legitimacy to her position but would also do a great deal to open up the possibilities of other areas of expertise to her. Political manipulation and social manipulation were sisters under the skin. Also, Mr. Sen was an excellent psychologist in his own right and, while he hated the personal aspect of one-on-one therapy, he would lower himself to it for the purpose of making the association a more pleasant one for himself.
The last thing she had wished to accomplish was to set in motion a unification of the group. They had cooperated admirably in the long process of rebellion against Galactic but that threat was now a distant one and the old animosities and personality conflicts were surfacing. Jenna not only needed to reinforce the fact that the threat was still quite viable but also create daily reminders of that and of the group unity. Bless Ben and Jeeter for their wonderful demand for uniforms. There was nothing like esprit de corps to keep the enemy constantly on the mind and smother individual irritations. Jeeter's colorful 'walk the walk and talk the talk' worked both ways. Though the process was slower, in the long term the facade effected the wearer as deeply as the observer.
But this had to be done carefully. There was no survival necessity for uniforms and their true purpose should remain secret to those not savvy enough to figure it out for themselves if it were to work. Jenna had counted heavily on it being taken as a logical part of becoming ship's crew. Mr. Sen's obviously different dress and the use of each of their favorite and most flattering colors in the shirts had emphasized the individuality that they must have to find the idea of uniforms acceptable; as was the special tailoring for Sasha. Separating the bridge crew with the gold vests and herself, Jeeter and Riddle with the openly carried weapons had been a risk but a necessary one. Allowing the others to acquire those perks for themselves through honest effort was a useful motivational tool for their learning the necessary survival skills and a safe outlet for their naturally competitive natures. The cultural adaptation game served the same functions and was just plain fun at the same time.
What was the old, old truth: rule with an iron hand but only when the velvet glove didn't succeed. Jenna felt that she had managed a decent job of that. Syrus' aid, which she was certain was intentional, had been immeasurably welcome. His playing games with Riddle, had not. But then, Syrus never gave anything without extracting his pleasure in return. The problem was that Syrus had no idea who, what, he was dealing with. Either that or his desire for self-destruction was growing again.
The only reason that he hadn't succeeded in accomplishing this before was that his pathology didn't allow for direct suicide but required that he goad someone else into doing the job for him. However, his ego required that to be someone who could do so no matter what lengths Syrus went to in defending himself. Riddle was quite capable of being that someone. Jenna had to prevent that.
The problem was that her knowledge of Syrus, as of Mr. Sen, was almost totally based on observation. Syrus was not one to deal with irritations by bitching, seeking advice or crying on somebody's shoulder. He took revenge for them. He would comply with any request to participate in profile testing, etc, but wouldn't give valid answers unless Jenna played whatever game he decided on to his satisfaction. Even then she couldn't be sure that he kept his word to respond truthfully. Any questions concerning personal experiences, history, were totally off limits. Consequently, Jenna had few clues to the daemons that drove him and how they might be eliminated.
She had her suspicions, very professionally thought out suspicions, but the opportunity to test them out had never presented itself. Nor was it something that she could find a way to engineer without Syrus knowing exactly what she was doing. All she could do was wait until she had Riddle alone, make him aware of what Syrus' intentions might be and persuade him not to cooperate with them.
And that brought her to the present and to another problem; Jeeter. As she entered the bridge, she ordered Ben to the bunk room and Riddle to give him the sedating shot and signaled Jeeter to accompany her to the galley. Taking a seat at the table, she motioned him to sit opposite her.
"Jeeter, I can understand your not being honest with me in the skimmer but I need to know why you still don't trust me?"
He had a trapped look.
"So Ben ratted me out on my history, huh? Found out that that wasn't all ah it."
"No. Your history doesn't interest me beyond the fact that you understand that, if you aren't honest with it, your new identity will fail. What that history taught you that is of use to me and to this ship does interest me. That is the lack of trust that I am speaking of. It was your own behavior that betrayed you. You know your way around a ship too well. When you entered the bridge of the BC and again here, you scanned them and then focused on the differences from a standard configuration. You took the weapons slot when the com and nav slots were also open. I would have had to be blind to not see that you did so because you knew what it was and wanted to be there. Last, you know how to properly stand at attention and at-ease. After I told you that you would be in the simulator until you qualified for as many bridge positions as you could, I expected you to admit to me those you were already capable of performing. You didn't.
"My Lord, what could you, or anyone for that matter, have done that would cause you to hang any higher than I will if we are caught? Oh, the others would be stuffed into a nice cushy, maximum security research facility. But I'm not in the same category of value that they are. Unless I had the chance to suicide, I would be right up there with you and Barrol; our extended executions providing the nightmare images that would keep the others from ever again making any move to escape. If that doesn't make a good base for trust, what does? Now, how much of the bridge are you already trained to cover?"
Jeeter actually blushed with embarrassment.
"I'm sorry, Lady. I know you ain't been nothing but kind to me but ... but trusting .. that ain't an easy thing. I'd need to see the manuals, do a few test runs, to be really good but I can handle the weapons and security boards ok now. Can com, too, and hack but nothing like Ben can. Can't nav and can't do much on piloting but keep the auto behaving and know when it's time to yell for help. And not hyper. Barrol already checked on that. And ...... and I'll finish that history for Ben."
"Am I interrupting? I need to get Ben's shot from the cooler."
Jenna jumped at the sound of Riddle's voice. Shit! how had he come to stand in the hatch without her noticing? and how long had he been standing there? Well, she'd just have to cover as best she could.
"No. Jeeter and I are just discussing how we will cover the bridge while you and I are off duty with our surgeries. I believe that the best plan would be to take orbit around an outer planet as soon as we come out of hyper and for him and Ben to take the watch. After the surgery, Syrus will keep you sedated for about another six hours and I can sleep, too. Then you and I can take the watch while you adjust to the changes in your sight. We'll repeat the pattern for my surgery and then we can get on with things."
Riddle leaned back against a counter. His voice rumbled with suspicion.
"You said this would be different but that's a little too different. When I got the shine, I had to have a hideout with enough food and water for a week because that's how long I had to keep putting drops in my eyes and changing the bandages before I could even try to see. I don't like the idea of being drugged either. Syrus will just have to do it without that."
Jenna tried to remain calm. She couldn't. Her capacity for calm was all used up. She flamed.
"No he won't! I'm finished coddling your paranoia! The sedation is necessary for the use of the Quizzler Healing Chamber. The healing chamber is necessary for this not to take the week that you just mentioned. I will not have my First Officer off duty for a full week just because he doesn't trust me to watch his back for eight hours! Now take it the way it is or forget it and go out and get another butcher job when your contract is finished!"
Riddle's jaw turned to granite. Jeeter looked as if he was only seconds from crawling under the table. Jenna had an insane urge to slap Riddle's face. Instead, she stood up and headed for the hatch.
"I'll be on the bridge preparing for jump. Somebody get me a damn cup of coffee."
-
-
Chapter 14 - EVERYONE HAS THEIR LIMIT
-
-
Jeeter's mind was full ah all kinds ah ideas as he followed Lady and Barrol down the gangway. This was turning into about the best move he'd ever made. Gonna learn shiv work from Barrol and maybe some really good moves from Mr. Sen. That metal shop ah Pretty Boy's was a dream. The guy knew his stuff about that. Might be something to learn there, too, if they didn't end up throwing the crud outa an airlock. Then there was that night vision. But he'd wait to see how Lady and Barrol got on with it. He'd heard what Barrol said about colors and displays. Lady said this was different but better make sure. Working with displays was important. He wasn't in Ben's class but he could make the system work for him when he needed to.
'Sides, Jeeter really liked color. He ran his hand over his gold vest and the insignia on it. He'd ah put a lot more ah it into the uniforms if it hada been his choice. But seeing it all come together, he had to admit that Lady knew what she was doing. And man-oh-man, these capes were the top ah the pile. Even had the big guy strutting until he caught himself.
Through the gangway, into the hidden elevator and out on the third level. Then Barrol telling 'em how to go into the library. Ben first, and step two slots to the left just inside. Then Jeeter and left beside Ben. Barrol next, and going right. Finally Lady, right down the middle without stopping as they formed up behind her. Barrol might not know squat about clothes but he sure knew how to stage an attack, even a 'nice' one.
It worked like a charm. All of 'em were looking in the right direction and worried when Lady walked in, looking just as bad as she could be, and handed 'em a glad-to-see-you smile. They latched onto it like it was a life line. Well, maybe Mr. Sen and Syrus weren't more that a little uneasy but the other three made up for it. Lady took the advantage and got right down to business. She sat at the end ah the long narrow library table and signaled the kid to pass out the legal bullshit. Jeeter followed Barrol's lead and they went at-ease standing on either side ah her. As soon as eacha the five had their copies, Lady waved 'em toward the table.
"Please, sit. This business will go better if we are all comfortable."
They sat. Ben stayed standing beside Jeeter, doing his best to mimic the at-ease but way to excited to make it work.
"I understand that there is some question as to the necessity of my shouldering the responsibility of Captain of this ship. The documents that Ben has given you explain not only the requirements for captaincy but also the responsibilities that it carries and the lengths a captain is allowed in order to see that his ability to fulfill those responsibilities is not interfered with. It also details the legal repercussions, punishment, for a captain convicted of any illegal uses of his ship. An example: knowingly smuggling wanted persons or prohibited weapons. Once all of you are aware of this information we can continue."
Lady relaxed back in her chair. Syrus started reading. So did David. Mr. Sen scanned the stuff like somebody who knew what should be there and was just checking to see that it was. The chit, Sasha, was too busy trying to eye flirt with Barrol to be interested in paper work. Cameron was trying to read but his concentration was shit 'cause Sasha's flirting was irritating the hell outa him. Now, that was interesting. The chit was David's wife but Cameron was the one getting pissed.
Jeeter used the time to take a better look at David. Ben had said that the guy had been gray haired since he was twenty, just part of his DNA, and was only maybe thirty-five or six. He looked a lot older to Jeeter, older and just about as sick as a guy could be and still be standing. Jeeter tried to see what Lady coulda seen in the guy. When he was standing, Jeeter had seen that he was taller than Lady, without those platforms, but not as tall as Barrol, maybe halfway between. His face woulda been kinda good looking if it wasn't thin and all hollow like. He had a medium build, ok but nothing special, and he was soft. Had good hands.
A whore had told Jeeter that good hands were a real turn on. She'd liked his enough to give him a freebie once in a while. Truth was, any place he landed he never had to pay for it more than a few times before the word got around and there was always one ah the girls in a generous mood for him. Hell, he knew they were treating him like a pet puppy, but what's to complain about. Whores had been kinder and sweeter to him than any 'honest' woman had ever been; 'cept his mother ..... and now Lady. The few times he had killed, other than that one stupid battle he got shoved into before he AWOLed, it had been some scum that had hurt one ah his sweet ladies. Did the first one when he was just fifteen and right outa boot.
He came outa his remembering to find David looking at him. Seeing that Jeeter had caught him at it, he ducked his face. But Jeeter had a good enough look to know what had drawn Lady to him. The eyes were blue but they had that open, kinda helpless look like a deer's. Shit! Lady mighta loved him but she sure as hell couldn'ta been in love with him. Jeeter decided that David hadn't been anything more to Lady than another take-care-ah like Ben. The fool shoulda stayed with her 'steada getting himself tied up with the chit. But better for Lady that he didn't.
Jeeter glanced back around the group. Mr. Sen looked like he was meditating. Syrus was looking patiently bored. Sasha was looking impatiently bored 'cause Barrol was ignoring her. David was looking miserable, like he just wanted the whole thing over. Cameron, the only one still reading, was turning a little green around the edges. Jeeter figured he'd got to those 'repercussions'. Found out that captains were the ones that got hung by the neck until they were dead, dead, dead.
And that was just in the civilized parts ah the galaxy. In the uncivilized parts they got shoved outa the airlock ah their own ship without a pressure suit. In the really barbaric parts it was with a suit and an air umbilical and they weren't cut loose until they were dead, dead, dead. The real pervs in the squad had talked about how much fun it was to leave the suit mike open and listen to 'em scream and beg or pray. Said all of 'em went crazy before the end.
Jeeter watched as Cameron laid down the papers. He looked worse than David. The chit whispered something to him. When he didn't answer, she hissed in his ear again and he hissed right back at her and put the page that had turned him green under her nose. The rebellion was over for him. The chit had other ideas. If pretty boy wasn't gonna be captain, she'd see what other trouble she could make. She aimed her next comments at the rest ah the group. The cutesy little girl voice that Jeeter had liked came out all razor blades and broken glass.
"So she's captain! Big deal! That doesn't give her any right to tell the rest of us what to do. And those muscle heads of hers don't belong here. This is a group meeting."
Jeeter decided that he didn't want his dick anywhere near the bitch. She needed the kinda lessons that he wasn't into. But, he knew a dozen slave markets where he could trade her off for something sweet and grateful, maybe two somethings. Plenty of buyers in those places who weren't as soft-hearted as he was. 'Course he was pretty sure that Lady wouldn't go for that but it was fun to think about.
There was a long silence. Lady stayed lounged back and relaxed, just waiting to see how the others jumped. It was Syrus that finally broke it. Jeeter got a whole new respect for him. The face was lazy and bored but the eyes were sharp, hard. His slow cultured drawl stretched the words, separating the syllables, but they still sounded crisp and clear. He spoke in a rhythm like a weaving cobra getting ready to strike and his soft tone dripped with nasty.
"You really should take the time to learn to read, Sasha. As captain of this ship, she has exactly that right. Also, if you had any talent for listening, the intercom announcement made it very clear that the Captain called this meeting not the group. Therefore, the First and Second Officers have not only the right but the duty to be here. Now, I suggest that you shut up and let her get on with the business she wishes to discuss with us."
Jeeter expected the chit to blaze back at him. Instead, she cowered away from him until she was almost in Cameron's lap. Syrus smiled almost pleasantly. Lady had sure been right about not judging him by G. Syrus was one cold mother fucker. Jeeter checked the rest ah the group. A look of satisfaction blinked across David's face and was gone so fast that Jeeter almost missed it. Shit, why didn't he just slap the bitch down himself. Cameron looked like he wanted to do something but didn't have the guts to. Mr. Sen was being very oriental, kinda above it all. But, after a little more silence, he was the one to get things rolling.
"I to am most interested in the Captain's reasons for this meeting." He turned toward Lady. "Please accept my apology, Captain, for this little family disagreement. I am sure that we all shall be most receptive if you will honor us by continuing with any other matters you wish to address."
Now, Lady sat up and leaned forward, her elbows on the table. She looked serious like a captain was suppose to.
"There are only two categories of people on board a ship: passengers and crew. To be blunt, neither this ship nor our group have any need of passengers. The group has too much to learn if we are to survive and this ship needs to be properly manned. I will deal with the easiest assignments first. Syrus, are you willing to serve as Ship's Doctor? David, as Power Engineer? Jeff, as Systems Engineer?"
They all nodded. Lady nodded in return and got on with it.
"Mr. Sen, Sasha, as part of the crew, your titles would be Ship's Chaplain and Environment Enhancement Officer, respectively. These may sound like make-work but you have my assurance that they are not. We are going to be living in these close quarters, isolated, with only each other for company for a lengthy period. There are two things necessary for all of us to survive this. The first is someone to mediate interpersonal conflicts; yours, Mr. Sen. The other is someone to create pleasant group social interaction and diversion; you, Sasha.
"But both of you will have much more important duties related to the group's ability to adjust to the new life we are taking on. While First and Second are here to teach us the necessary arts to physically defend ourselves, their second and more important function is to begin our education in observing and adapting to any culture and social strata that we might encounter. The rule is: 'Stand out and you become a target; blend in to survive.' It is this function that the two of you will work together to enhance.
"As long as the ship is under normal running conditions, there will be one group meal, daily; a Saturday party-party; and a Sunday formal dinner. Attendance for all of these will be mandatory. What you choose to do with the daily meals would be up to you. The party and the formal dinner must be lessons in a different culture each week but of two different social strata of that culture. The theme culture and both strata should be announced each Monday and you would be responsible for judging how well the rest of us did our research and adapted our dress and behavior to that culture.
"This will require a great deal of effort in research and preparation but the lessons it will teach us are vital to the group's survival. I ask you the same question I asked the others. Are you willing to take these crew positions?"
Jeeter had been watching Sasha. Mr. Sen was no question. She was. But Lady played
her all the way. Damn, she started drooling for it with the party and the formal dinner. The judging what the others did part was the kill. But pairing her up with Mr. Sen? That one he was gonna have to think about. That one had layers and layers.
Lady put the titles on the crew contracts and signed 'em. Ben passed 'em out. Everybody signed and Ben picked 'em up again. Then Lady got that beautiful playful look on her face.
"Now we get to the fun part. Uniforms."
As Lady flipped up a section ah the table in front ah her that turned into a display and keyboard, Syrus smarted off.
"Oh, dear. I was afraid that was coming."
"Are you volunteering to be first, Syrus?"
He flashed her a wicked leer. Lady flashed back a sneer. But all Barrol saw was the leer and he didn't like it. Shit, Syrus had seen Barrol's jaw tighten, too, and was looking like it was funny.
"Oh no, I'm perfectly content to wait your pleasure, my Captain."
Sheeze, Syrus was baiting Barrol on purpose. This wasn't gonna be pretty.
"That's going to be a long wait, Syrus. My pleasure is already spoken for."
Way to go, Lady. She'd dropped all of 'em in their tracks. Even Barrol's jaw had gone slack and Mr. Sen's eyes had opened wide. Syrus' amusement turned a bit respectful.
"I believe Mr. Sen's uniform should be first."
A huge display lit up on the bulkhead to the left of the table and there was two Mr. Sens on it. Both in some kinda square sleeved robe with a wide sash around the waist. One was all black and the other was a really mellow yellow with a black sash. The little guy looked real good dressed that way. There was an inset ah his insignia, too, with a circle divided by a double curve so it looked like two tear drops, head to tail; or maybe little squiggly creatures 'cause it looked like they had eyes. Must be some kinda religious thing since Lady said he was the Chaplain. It'd sure be a nice design to use for the locks on a razor buckle.
"I thought something like this might be appropriate for you as Chaplain. The black is in satin, a dress uniform; the topaz, in syntho-cotton for a comfortable duty uniform. May I order them up for you or would you prefer a standard ship's uniform?"
Mr. Sen gave her one ah those half bows.
"I find the robe, the color and the insignia quite excellent. Thank you, Captain."
Lady hit a function key. Musta had the order keyed and waiting. Then another key and all four ah the others appeared on the screen. Insets ah insignia and the same black vests, trousers, boots and waist belts as the bridge crew but with the laced shirts. Next difference, each one had a different colored shirt: Syrus, deep sapphire; Cameron, emerald; Sasha, ruby; David, amethyst. Now, that was a surprise, amethyst for a guy, but it looked good with his silvered hair. In fact, all of 'em looked real good in the colors Lady picked. Sasha looked at little too good. Lady had left the laces real open and given her a black breast band and she done something with the shirt and vest. They were slimmed in below the band kinda fitted to Sasha's mid-drift, so the laces were nice and tight across the opening all the way up. Made the chit's rack look even better than it already did. The trousers were also trimmer, not tight like Lady's but not as bulky as the men's. Looked real fine and the chit knew it. She wasn't about to argue.
"Your dress uniforms will be the same but satin and will have the matching black cape. Does anyone wish to comment?"
Damned if Pretty Boy hadn't got some ah his bluff back.
"Why don't we have gold vests?"
At least the twit had enough sense not to ask about Lady's long vest.
"Gold vests are for the people who ride that perfect target sticking out in front called a bridge. I have a nav slot open if you would like to study for it, Jeff. In fact, anyone who would be willing to make the effort to qualify for that or as an auxiliary for any bridge position would be an asset. If we haven't been as clever as we hope and we end up in a fire-fight with Galactic, the Patrol or the Forces, we will suffer losses. I would like to see everyone in gold vests. You would, of course, retain the shirt color designating your primary duty slot. Any other comments?"
Pretty Boy shook his head 'no' with a nervous twitch. Lady looked around at the rest. Jeeter thought it was done until Syrus raised a finger and an eyebrow. Damn he sure liked playing games.
"I am quite satisfied with the uniform but I have another question. Those interesting pieces of hardware that you, First and Second are wearing but Ben isn't, are they a matter of privilege, also?"
Shit, that was the first time Jeeter had ever seen somebody who could look like they were thinking about kissing someone and sneer at the same time outside of a vid. Oh, he'd seen guys try to act like those vid villains. They always looked stupid. Syrus looked like the real thing that the vid actors were trying to look like. Lady seem to be used to it. She punched the order function key and then answered him.
"No. It's a matter of proficiency. Anyone who makes the effort to become proficient with any blade they choose can carry it."
Suddenly Lady's dagger was in her hand. She displayed it between her hands, hilt and point against her palms. Then it was gone again.
"But, the concealed weapon is much the more dangerous. All of you will find both dagger and stunner sheaths in your boots. They will be filled when you prove you can use them. Any other comments? ....... Good. Then, I suggest that you prepare for hyper. Since it has been such a long night for all of us, anyone who wishes to sleep it out, instead of being given a recovery shot, has permission to do so. Please inform Syrus of your choice. Syrus, you will com a list to the bridge. And Syrus, please refill this for me."
She made a show ah removing that killer earring, walking over and handing it to Syrus. This got her a pair ah raised eyebrows that she ignored. Lady sure had Syrus' number. That one was gonna twist his tail until he could get her to tell him all about it. She checked the chrono on the table display and then shut it down.
"You have thirty minutes before we jump."
As Lady led them out ah the library, Jeeter had a question he really wanted to ask her. When they hit the elevator, Barrol asked it for him.
"Is Syrus for real?"
Jeeter expected Lady to smile, make some sorta joke. 'Stead, she got serious, serious.
"Yes, he is. He's suave, cultured, sensuous, very intelligent and he can be a totally sadistic monster when he chooses to be. Be very careful during weapons practice because he will draw blood if you give him the chance and he is already proficient in one kind of blade. He is quite probably the only surgeon in the inner cluster who is just as talented with an actual scalpel as he is with a laser and he prefers the scalpel. That may be a valuable asset to an out-world settlement but in the inner cluster it's a sign of a pathological personality. Of course, so is killing a man with a poison earring and pirating a ship. We all have our little quirks. I would prefer that you didn't kill Syrus for his, however much he may deserve it."
Ok. Lady liked Syrus, monster and all. But that made sense, didn't it. She liked Barrol.
-
-
*************************************************************************
-
-
The meeting had gone much better than she had expected it would. She never doubted that she would be able to accomplish her basic goal but she had not expected to be so successful with the rest of it.
Ben's worry that Mr. Sen or Syrus would side with Jeff hadn't been a valid one. Mr. Sen had made his position perfectly clear in the message he had sent via Riddle. And Syrus ......... The only decision that Jeff could make that Syrus would agree with would be to die, painfully. No, the problem wasn't how to make certain that a vote would go her way; it was to see that it never came to a vote. A vote would solidify the lines of division in the group. Just the opposite needed to happen. The lines needed to be increasingly blurred until they either disappeared completely or at least reached a level of mutual tolerance.
While the regulations that Riddle had cited would stop the vote that wouldn't stop the rebellion. Enforced authority just wouldn't work with this group in this situation. Jeff and David, the only sheep in the lot, would still need to be given logical arguments to justify their cooperation. The legalities would do for David but Jeff needed added justification since he would be backing down from his challenge position. Detailing the responsibilities and consequences had given him that.
Mr. Sen, Syrus and Sasha were all predators. Within limits, Mr. Sen and Syrus would willingly accept her authority because they didn't want to be bothered with the responsibilities of leadership themselves. The more successful she was at exercising that authority in an acceptable manner the more those limits would ease. Sasha, without a doubt the instigator of this challenge, was the problem.
Since she wanted Jeff to be Captain because she wanted the prestige of being the Captain's woman, the answer was to give her position and prestige in her own right. The trick was to use the one area of expertise in which her low self-esteem allowed her to feel capable; social maven. Jenna had known that this was the solution for Sasha's problems for a long time but the environment of the Institute didn't offer any opportunity to engineer that. The environment of the ship did.
The association with Mr. Sen would not only give legitimacy to her position but would also do a great deal to open up the possibilities of other areas of expertise to her. Political manipulation and social manipulation were sisters under the skin. Also, Mr. Sen was an excellent psychologist in his own right and, while he hated the personal aspect of one-on-one therapy, he would lower himself to it for the purpose of making the association a more pleasant one for himself.
The last thing she had wished to accomplish was to set in motion a unification of the group. They had cooperated admirably in the long process of rebellion against Galactic but that threat was now a distant one and the old animosities and personality conflicts were surfacing. Jenna not only needed to reinforce the fact that the threat was still quite viable but also create daily reminders of that and of the group unity. Bless Ben and Jeeter for their wonderful demand for uniforms. There was nothing like esprit de corps to keep the enemy constantly on the mind and smother individual irritations. Jeeter's colorful 'walk the walk and talk the talk' worked both ways. Though the process was slower, in the long term the facade effected the wearer as deeply as the observer.
But this had to be done carefully. There was no survival necessity for uniforms and their true purpose should remain secret to those not savvy enough to figure it out for themselves if it were to work. Jenna had counted heavily on it being taken as a logical part of becoming ship's crew. Mr. Sen's obviously different dress and the use of each of their favorite and most flattering colors in the shirts had emphasized the individuality that they must have to find the idea of uniforms acceptable; as was the special tailoring for Sasha. Separating the bridge crew with the gold vests and herself, Jeeter and Riddle with the openly carried weapons had been a risk but a necessary one. Allowing the others to acquire those perks for themselves through honest effort was a useful motivational tool for their learning the necessary survival skills and a safe outlet for their naturally competitive natures. The cultural adaptation game served the same functions and was just plain fun at the same time.
What was the old, old truth: rule with an iron hand but only when the velvet glove didn't succeed. Jenna felt that she had managed a decent job of that. Syrus' aid, which she was certain was intentional, had been immeasurably welcome. His playing games with Riddle, had not. But then, Syrus never gave anything without extracting his pleasure in return. The problem was that Syrus had no idea who, what, he was dealing with. Either that or his desire for self-destruction was growing again.
The only reason that he hadn't succeeded in accomplishing this before was that his pathology didn't allow for direct suicide but required that he goad someone else into doing the job for him. However, his ego required that to be someone who could do so no matter what lengths Syrus went to in defending himself. Riddle was quite capable of being that someone. Jenna had to prevent that.
The problem was that her knowledge of Syrus, as of Mr. Sen, was almost totally based on observation. Syrus was not one to deal with irritations by bitching, seeking advice or crying on somebody's shoulder. He took revenge for them. He would comply with any request to participate in profile testing, etc, but wouldn't give valid answers unless Jenna played whatever game he decided on to his satisfaction. Even then she couldn't be sure that he kept his word to respond truthfully. Any questions concerning personal experiences, history, were totally off limits. Consequently, Jenna had few clues to the daemons that drove him and how they might be eliminated.
She had her suspicions, very professionally thought out suspicions, but the opportunity to test them out had never presented itself. Nor was it something that she could find a way to engineer without Syrus knowing exactly what she was doing. All she could do was wait until she had Riddle alone, make him aware of what Syrus' intentions might be and persuade him not to cooperate with them.
And that brought her to the present and to another problem; Jeeter. As she entered the bridge, she ordered Ben to the bunk room and Riddle to give him the sedating shot and signaled Jeeter to accompany her to the galley. Taking a seat at the table, she motioned him to sit opposite her.
"Jeeter, I can understand your not being honest with me in the skimmer but I need to know why you still don't trust me?"
He had a trapped look.
"So Ben ratted me out on my history, huh? Found out that that wasn't all ah it."
"No. Your history doesn't interest me beyond the fact that you understand that, if you aren't honest with it, your new identity will fail. What that history taught you that is of use to me and to this ship does interest me. That is the lack of trust that I am speaking of. It was your own behavior that betrayed you. You know your way around a ship too well. When you entered the bridge of the BC and again here, you scanned them and then focused on the differences from a standard configuration. You took the weapons slot when the com and nav slots were also open. I would have had to be blind to not see that you did so because you knew what it was and wanted to be there. Last, you know how to properly stand at attention and at-ease. After I told you that you would be in the simulator until you qualified for as many bridge positions as you could, I expected you to admit to me those you were already capable of performing. You didn't.
"My Lord, what could you, or anyone for that matter, have done that would cause you to hang any higher than I will if we are caught? Oh, the others would be stuffed into a nice cushy, maximum security research facility. But I'm not in the same category of value that they are. Unless I had the chance to suicide, I would be right up there with you and Barrol; our extended executions providing the nightmare images that would keep the others from ever again making any move to escape. If that doesn't make a good base for trust, what does? Now, how much of the bridge are you already trained to cover?"
Jeeter actually blushed with embarrassment.
"I'm sorry, Lady. I know you ain't been nothing but kind to me but ... but trusting .. that ain't an easy thing. I'd need to see the manuals, do a few test runs, to be really good but I can handle the weapons and security boards ok now. Can com, too, and hack but nothing like Ben can. Can't nav and can't do much on piloting but keep the auto behaving and know when it's time to yell for help. And not hyper. Barrol already checked on that. And ...... and I'll finish that history for Ben."
"Am I interrupting? I need to get Ben's shot from the cooler."
Jenna jumped at the sound of Riddle's voice. Shit! how had he come to stand in the hatch without her noticing? and how long had he been standing there? Well, she'd just have to cover as best she could.
"No. Jeeter and I are just discussing how we will cover the bridge while you and I are off duty with our surgeries. I believe that the best plan would be to take orbit around an outer planet as soon as we come out of hyper and for him and Ben to take the watch. After the surgery, Syrus will keep you sedated for about another six hours and I can sleep, too. Then you and I can take the watch while you adjust to the changes in your sight. We'll repeat the pattern for my surgery and then we can get on with things."
Riddle leaned back against a counter. His voice rumbled with suspicion.
"You said this would be different but that's a little too different. When I got the shine, I had to have a hideout with enough food and water for a week because that's how long I had to keep putting drops in my eyes and changing the bandages before I could even try to see. I don't like the idea of being drugged either. Syrus will just have to do it without that."
Jenna tried to remain calm. She couldn't. Her capacity for calm was all used up. She flamed.
"No he won't! I'm finished coddling your paranoia! The sedation is necessary for the use of the Quizzler Healing Chamber. The healing chamber is necessary for this not to take the week that you just mentioned. I will not have my First Officer off duty for a full week just because he doesn't trust me to watch his back for eight hours! Now take it the way it is or forget it and go out and get another butcher job when your contract is finished!"
Riddle's jaw turned to granite. Jeeter looked as if he was only seconds from crawling under the table. Jenna had an insane urge to slap Riddle's face. Instead, she stood up and headed for the hatch.
"I'll be on the bridge preparing for jump. Somebody get me a damn cup of coffee."
