THE MOTHER LODE BY ABRAXIS
Chapter 40 – Dealing with Business
Jenna awakened cuddled close to Riddick's comforting warmth. It took her a few seconds to realize that they weren't in the large, soft bed of her quarters but in the command slot of the bridge instead. However, as she shifted against its almost as comfortable cushioning and snuggled even deeper into Riddick's embrace, she made a mental note that she must remember to send the manufacturer of this particular piece of equipment a glowing product recommendation. Then she laughed softly at the thought that the use she could recommend it for wouldn't exactly be fit for any advertisements. She felt Riddick's answering chuckle, rumbling through his chest, before she heard it.
"I like a woman who wakes up laughing." Then with a pat to her bottom, "You better get dressed, sweet thing. They've been buzzing the internal com for a couple of hours. I muted that but they'll be pounding on the hatches next."
As the fact that she was buck-naked on the bridge of her ship pierced Jenna's still somewhat muzzy awareness, she could feel the heat spreading across her skin. Riddick's next comment just made it worse.
"And I really like a woman who blushes all over."
With a snarl somewhat like that of an angry kitten that embarrassed her even more, she scrambled out of the slot, snatched up her clothing and escaped into the galley. She didn't have to look back to know that Riddick was smirking at her but at least he had the decency not to laugh out loud. She just might have had to start plotting some revenge if he had. Damn it was gooooood to have him back.
After using the galley sink for a quick spit-bath, that left her still feeling grimy, and getting dressed, Jenna dialed herself a cup of coffee, downed half of it in several large gulps, refilled it, dialed another for Riddick and did her best to look calm, cool and collected as she strolled back onto the bridge. It helped a great deal that she found Riddick also fully dressed, sitting in the pilot slot, and the command slot returned to its proper configuration. When she handed him his coffee, he immediately got down to ship's business.
"I've checked on Jeeter. From what Jack can read of Syrus' medical shorthand, he won't be fit to make a jump for at least a week. In the Forces, we jumped with casualties in the chambers but more than half of 'em didn't survive it. I figured you wouldn't like those odds but I don't like hanging out this close to McGhee's station for that long."
He motioned at the nav section of his console. "I know this area of space pretty well and I've plotted us a Keller course that will get us to another gate, a legally registered one, in just a little more time than that. With the legs we've got, it won't do anybody any good to try and come after us. That gate will take us a double jump and a little more Keller time in between gates to get back to New Mecca but we'll come out on the other side of the system and I like that. I don't think that it would be a good idea to pop out there at the spot McGhee or anybody else at the station will expect us to."
Jenna controlled her joy at Jeeter's survival. She found Riddick's matter-of-fact treatment of the subject very stabilizing. It kept the guilt she felt, that it had been her recklessness that had caused the little man's injuries, at bay. She was quite sure that if Riddick had included the words 'still alive' or 'not dead', she would have been awash with it.
She also hid her amusement at Riddick's fairly obvious personal dislike of McGhee. She hadn't been unaware of the short com conversation between them and of Riddick's dark scowl at McGhee's offer of future hospitality to 'sweet Lilly'. In fact, she had taken the precaution of copying the co-ordinates of the station and of the illegal gates and jump plots to a security locked file, her voice only, just in case Riddick decided to erase them from the main nav records. While she had no desire to ever see the two-faced, aggravating McGhee again, one never knew what information might come in handy in an emergency. As for Riddick's plan and course plot, she had no reservations at all.
"Do it. Is there anything else I need to know before I open the internal com?"
"Only that the merc left for his quarters while you were in the galley. He said to tell you that he'd like to join the crew, if the offer is still open. I've put him on the same high priority security scan as Sen and locked and keyed both reports to our voices only. I put in a speck for tight-focus visual and audio recording on both of them whenever they are anywhere near each other or com each other. And I set an automatic flag if they seem to be talking to someone else in the crew within an hour or so of each other too often. That should tell us if they set up someone else as a go-between.
"You should also know that he's a pilot, Keller for sure. I don't know about hyper. He took the meds when I jumped the BC but that could have been just for show."
Jenna gave a silent prayer of gratitude for every paranoid bone in Riddick's body as she officially ok'ed the new security settings. Thinking that he was finished she turned toward the command slot only to have him swivel his chair to face her as she settled into it. By the scowl on his face, she knew that he really didn't want to tell her whatever was coming next.
"There's something else. Something that Rafferty said has been bothering me. He said that Sen wasn't worried about the tracker in the bay. Syrus seemed to think that meant that Sen knew who had planted it and had already done something about it. Those things come with a remote monitor and, as soon as we blocked it, someone should have tried to check it out. But we got nothing on the security system watching it. I'm beginning to wonder if Sen didn't do something to the system to cover it up."
"But Max doesn't have the talent for that. Only … … only Ben does."
"Yeah. That's why I'd like to open access to those records through the infirmary terminal and have Jack work on it. She's not a super-brain like Ben but she's damn good. She could monitor the reports on Rafferty and Sen too while she's at it. Maybe see something that the automatic flags might miss. But that means that we have to clue her in on most of what's going on."
Suddenly, now that it involved Ben, Riddick's paranoia didn't seem such a blessing. She realized that he was reading her too well when he continued speaking.
"Hell, sweet thing, I'm probably seeing things that ain't. But even if I'm not, it isn't the kid's fault. Sen's one sneaky bastard. He could've made the kid think that he was protecting you just like he did with Rafferty and the colony. Anyway, if it turns out to be a bust, it'll still give Jack something to do to get her mind off of worrying about Jeeter and give us another pair of eyes watching Sen and the merc."
God! Jenna hated to admit it, really hated to admit it, but Riddick was almost certainly not 'seeing what ain't'. Ben would be the easiest of the group for Max to manipulate and the only one of the bridge crew that he would have any chance of using. Shit! Shit!! SHIT!!!! And it was all Jenna's fault!
She had been warned by Ben's reaction to her manner of dress when everyone had first boarded the Hole. It had been a red flag that his mental state was a great deal more fragile than she had thought; that the ghosts of his early childhood were still too much in control of him. But, she had been too busy being 'Captain' to be 'Therapist'. She had allowed his seemingly improved attitude, from whatever Riddick had said to him, to smother the natural instincts that would have recognized that warning. And that was another red flag.
As cold, clinically cold, as it was, Jenna had to admit that she was no longer fit to fulfill the role of therapist for Ben. She had broken the cardinal rule with him, allowing him to become attached and not breaking that but instead returning it with a personal attachment of her own. She had allowed her own need for his improvement to delude her into seeing more than there was.
But, as she focused that clinical cold even deeper, she realized that, perhaps, she was no longer fit to be a therapist for anyone. She was tired of it. She had spent the last fourteen years doing it and she was exhausted with it, quite possibly totally burned out with it. She wanted to see people as people, not patients. She wanted personal attachments. She wanted to be 'Captain' not yoyo. Hell, yes! For once she wanted to be selfish. She wanted a life of her own choosing.
Of course, she was obligated to find Ben a new therapist and to do the best by him as a 'friend' and 'older sister' until then but she had an equal, perhaps even greater, obligation as Captain of her ship. She pulled herself out of her contemplation and spoke to Riddick.
"You had best add Ben to that comprehensive security scan and direct it to Jack as well. I'll leave it to your discretion how much you tell her. I would recommend telling her everything but you know better than I do how much she can deal with."
Riddick simply nodded at this and turned back to his console. However, Jenna noticed that it took only one keystroke to initiate the scan on Ben and another to open the security system to the infirmary terminal. This proof that Riddick had intended to do both, whether she agreed to them or not, should have angered her but she refused to allow her emotions to cloud her intellect any further than they already had. He would have been damn right to do just that. It was what she had hired him to do. She might be legally the Captain of the Hole but it would be a long time before she had the experience and training to back up that legality.
Giving him a small smile to say 'I know what you did', she turned her attention to the internal com. Sorting the voice-mail messages by sender, she was somewhat surprised by what she found: one from Max, one from Syrus, one from Mira and eight from Sasha? She took them in order of priority, her priorities.
Syrus' contained only a reference tag to Jeeter's medical file and a warning that if anyone disturbed him in less than twenty-four hours, he would "commit justifiable homicide on the miscreant". Jenna made a quick scan of the file and was both elated and disheartened. Syrus had preformed a major miracle with his surgery in saving Jeeter's life and another in saving his arm but the prognosis for Jeeter's recovering even minimal use of it and his hand was dim at best. Jenna could only hope that Jeeter was as tough a survivor as she thought him to be and salve her disappointment, and guilt, with her confidence in Syrus' ability to find another miracle in subsequent treatments.
The next message she opened was Mira's. It was an announcement that she and Casmir had begun negotiations and a request to discuss this with Jenna. There was also an assurance that Casmir had not broken his word to Jenna as Mira had initiated the discussion of the matter herself. This was followed by an apology for doing so that was qualified by the statement that Mira was only doing what Jenna had advised her to do in taking active responsibility for her own future. With a swell of pride at the young woman's blossoming independence, even from her, Jenna answered with a voice-mail stating that she would be available any time Mira wished to come to the bridge.
Max's was next. On the surface, it seemed like nothing but a fatherly expression of his relief at her safe return and curiosity as to the details of her adventure and an apology that he had not been as available to her for the little talks they both so enjoyed because of his overly enthusiastic focus on matters concerning the Institute and the colony. Her snide chuckle at this brought a questioning look from Riddick.
"Max is worried. He's sending feelers out for a ceasefire and treaty negotiation already. I would say that he is probably planning on 'playing nice' until after we have arrived at the colony. But make sure we have full security reports on all com traffic both outgoing and incoming and are still on alert for any non-system transmissions. And secure and lock those reports to voice only; you, me and Jack. Then lock off the security systems settings with an alarm to go to you or me, wherever we are, if anyone tries to access them without one of us pre-authorizing it."
"Already got the last one done but I'll recheck the com security levels and transmissions alert and lock and secure them. Don't look so pissed at yourself. You're learning fast. When do you plan on meeting with Sen?"
"Not for a day or so and then here, on my ground."
"Like I said, you're learning fast."
With that compliment creating a hot little glow at her center, Jenna recorded and sent a 'nice' but firm message to Max denying him any meeting until she had finished dealing with her duties as Captain. She purposely gave him no indication as to when that might be. Then she turned to the sheaf of mails from Sasha.
They started out with a rant about all the extra work "that herd of children" was going to cause her that had been recorded almost immediately after she had been assigned their care. Next, recorded several hours later, was another rant but questioning why Syrus wasn't available to give "these sweet, mistreated babies" full medical exams, immunizations and "god only knows what other care they desperately need". The rest were requests for various supplies: toys and crafts materials, opening the woodworking pod for properly sized furniture, opening the metalworking pod for proper play equipment and allocating at least half of the gymnasium area for its installation, etc, etc, etc.
By the singing spheres! The woman had a hidden maternal instinct a mile wide and Jenna had completely missed it! Of course, any information Jenna had ever had on the woman had been gathered from only superficial conversation and personal observation as Sasha would have rather cut her own throat than participate in any formal testing.
Setting aside that can of worms for a while, Jenna accessed the tailor pod to authorize the proper uniforms for Rafferty only to find that the machine was working at maximum capacity. Jenna didn't have to be clairvoyant to figure out the reason for that. Keying the security system to give her both visual and audio in the pod, she found herself watching Sasha, surrounded by the children, doing an excellent imitation of Mother Goose as she help them select styles, colors and fabrics for even more garments than those currently pushing the tailoring machine into overload. The fact that she and the children didn't share a common language didn't seem to be slowing her down one bit. In fact, there seemed to be mutual language lessons occurring along with the shopping.
Widening her view of the pod, Jenna discovered both David and Jeff in the background looking exhausted and somewhat shell-shocked. On closer inspection, she saw that Jeffie was also looking angry and bored while David sported a bemused smile. Focusing the visual back on Sasha, Jenna cut the security audio and opened the com speaker in the pod.
"Good morning, Sasha. Could you please pause your input for just a moment. Red Rafferty is joining the crew and I need to authorized his uniforms."
The blond started at the unexpected intrusion but quickly complied with Jenna's request. As soon as she had entered the authorization, with the proper quantities, Jenna made another one.
"Would you mind contacting him, getting his measurements programmed and putting this at the head of the manufacturing cue?"
Jenna was pleasantly surprised at the enthusiasm that showed in both Sasha's voice and face. It was a nice change from the put-upon expression that she usually received from her.
"I already have his measurements because of the costume dinners. I'll start the uniforms immediately and have them taken to his quarters."
"I'll take them." This interruption by Jeff was almost shocking. He must really be at the end of his tether to volunteer for delivery duty to escape. From the semi-sweet smile Sasha threw him, it seemed that she was well at the end of hers with him. Hummmmm, it might be a good bet that the dynamics of the 'terrible trio' could be in for a change.
But a real, though slightly anxious, smile graced Sasha's face as she addressed Jenna again.
"I don't want to be a bother, but have you had a chance to check the messages I left you?"
Jenna had to cover her mouth to prevent a snicker from escaping and was very glad that the visual wasn't two-way.
"Yes, I have and I'm very impressed with the way you are taking care of the children. I'll have the pods you requested opened immediately and you can do anything you want about the gym and any other areas of the ship. But I'm afraid that the medical checkups will have to wait until later. Syrus had a rather rough time of it on New Mecca and the surgery for Jeeter was a bitch. He's threatening bloody retribution if he's disturbed for the next day or so. I'll leave him a message to soften him up for you but we'll just have to wait until he's ready. Until then, if there is anything serious, I'll try to fill in for him."
The anxiety that had faded from Sasha's face was now back.
"No. There's nothing serious. But … well, … could you … could you please erase any messages I left for Syrus while you're sending him yours? I … "
Jenna decided to save the petite blond any further embarrassment.
"No problem. I'll be happy to. I know how easily he can take things wrong. You just continue with the wonderful job you are doing for the children and let me worry about Syrus. Oh, and don't worry about the weekly dinners or meals for anyone but the children. Everyone else can make do for themselves, until we can get all the rest sorted out."
Sasha was absolutely preening.
"I do appreciate not having to deal with the dinners until I have the necessary remodeling done but the regular evening meals for everyone will be no problem at all since I'll be doing them for the children anyway. I'll see that trays get delivered to any one who can't make it to the dinning room as well."
"That's very thoughtful of you, Sasha. Feel free to ask me for anything else you might need. Captain out."
As Jenna cut the com she heard a disgruntled snort from Riddick. She answered it while she unlocked the pods Sasha required.
"Better sugar than vinegar."
"Then they'd better be glad they're dealing with you and not me, sweet thing. Now, what's next?"
"I guess we both raid our quarters and move into the bunk room."
"Wrong answer. That cushy command slot may be ok in a pinch but those bunks are strictly singles. I want a regular bed to chase you around and that whore-house bathtub of yours to relax in. We go twelve on and twelve off with Jack, Mira and the merc covering the other shift. Then, we take Ben on shift with us when he gets through with the yacht."
Jenna thought about this while she erased Sasha's rather vitriolic messages to Syrus and recorded her own, more politic one, in their place.
"Don't you think that is being a little too trusting of Rafferty too soon?"
"Nope. I plan on telling both of the girls just where he stands and those two little hellcats will shred him if he makes one wrong move. Besides, I figure that Casmir will be a number one chaperon. Rafferty didn't get on his good side at all on New Mecca."
Considering this, Jenna decided that it would work out well and for reasons other than giving her and Riddick quality time to themselves. One, Rafferty would be more inclined to show his true colors, black or white, if he thought he wasn't being watched as closely. Two, it would give her more time with Ben to see just how badly all this was effecting him and to try and rebuild the 'family' relationship between them. Three, it would give Casmir a chance to observe Mira performing her bridge duties which would prove to him that she was accomplished at a lot more than needlework.
In that same vein, Jenna decided to make sure that both she and Riddick continued Mira's weapons and defense classes at least three times a week while the other covered the bridge and Rafferty. Jack would be included in the classes, of course, but the main purpose would be to give Casmir a good understanding of what his Princess was becoming.
"All right. But make it very clear to Rafferty that Jack holds the command slot. And make sure that Jack knows that she is to sit in it to prove it to him. No exceptions. Also schedule an hour three times a week for one of us to continue Jack's and Mira's weapons training while the other covers the bridge. That will keep Casmir from becoming bored while he chaperones her. Their shift or ours, whichever you think best."
Riddick showed his understanding and appreciation of her plotting with a wicked grin.
"Aye, aye, Captain. Now, how about some breakfast for your hard working First Officer?"
Belying his chauvinistic words, Riddick followed Jenna into the galley, dialed his own meal and refilled both their coffee mugs while she dialed hers. They shared a relaxed breakfast at the galley table interrupted only by Mira returning Jenna's com message and then joining them for coffee after they had finished eating. Riddick would have returned to the bridge, then, but Mira stopped him.
"No, please. You have spent some time with Prince Casmir and I would appreciate your opinion on some of the questions I have. You see, while I believe that he truly thinks himself a proponent of very liberal, very modern views, that would be of great benefit to our people, I … … Often, people do not live privately as they do publicly. … … I do feel an obligation to do what is best for my people but I do not want, do not think that I could survive, returning to the type of life that I had before. It was not … not pleasant for me even then but now … now when I know that I can have better, it would be intolerable. How can I insure that that will not happen?"
"Get it all in the contract, Princess. The one thing I can tell you for sure is that Casmir will keep a deal."
"But you are a man and what is between two men is considered important. Women are not given the same consideration in my world."
"Casmir was already keeping his promise to Nagia to find Sissua before he even talked to me. I'd say that keeping his word is important to him no matter who he gives it to."
"Even if he does not truly understand what he is agreeing to? Cannot truly believe that a New Meccan woman, the pampered and cloistered daughter of a royal house, would have the necessary spirit and courage to choose to live as Jack and your Jenna would live? That she would have the abilities necessary to do so?"
Mira's eyes were beginning to mist up and Jenna could feel Riddick silently screaming at her for rescue. She quickly drew the girl's attention to herself.
"New Meccan or not, men never take us seriously until we prove it to them and I've thought of some ways that you can accomplish that with Casmir."
As Riddick used the excuse of refilling their mugs to get away from the table and then escaped to the bridge, Jenna began explaining her plans to Mira. Mira liked them. Even Jenna's explanation of the complications with Rafferty didn't dampen the girl's quickly improving mood. She left the bridge smiling brightly and with a much lighter step than when she had entered it.
Jenna watched Riddick as he watched Mira leave with a bemused expression on his face. Then he spoke without her having to ask.
"She reminds me too much of Jack at that age. How in the hell do they get so serious and so wise so young?"
"The same as we did. They were born with it and life didn't give them any choice but to use it."
"Yeah. And ain't that a bitch. So what else do we have to deal with before we can relax?
"You need to bring Jack up to date on Rafferty and all the security work we need her to do. You also need to tell her that she's on bridge duty in seven hours."
"Fuck!"
"It was your idea. But to help you out, I'll set up a one stroke access to security audio and visual in the infirmary for her."
"Damn, you're just so good to me." Then the joking tone disappeared. "The little thief isn't doing so good, is he?"
Jenna's mind went into professional mode.
"He's alive and Syrus was able to repair most of the damage to his vital organs. His heart will be completely normal once the healing is completed. Though he will have some loss of lung function, it will not be debilitating for a normal life style; just no mountain climbing or extreme sports. He'll have his arm, at least cosmetically. Syrus was able to replace the destroyed shoulder joint with a prosthesis and the re-growth of the tendons and muscles is progressing well. He will have motion control there.
"The prognosis is not as positive for the rest of his arm. He has sense nerve function but the motor nerve function is very questionable, particularly in his hand. It may be that he will have to decide if he wishes to sacrifice flesh, blood and sensation for the functionality of a prosthesis there, as well. However, the fine motor control required for his weapons construction is not possible to replicate with our present technology since it also depends on the level of motor nerve function available.
"From a medical perspective, Jeeter is a walking miracle. From a psychological perspective, he may be an extremely critical case."
"Yeah, that's what I thought. Well, you better add Jack to that 'critical' list 'cause she's got that 'I'm gonna save something or die trying' sound in her voice again. And it don't take three guesses to figure out who it's aimed at."
"And what do you feel would be the best solution for that?"
Riddick raised an eyebrow and gave her a very nasty scowl. "Are you trying to play yoyo with me?"
The emphasis was very heavily on that 'me'. Jenna gave him an evil grin.
"No. I'm just trying to find out if I'm going to have to put you on house arrest because you are planning to be part of the problem rather than part of the solution."
"You think you're up to that, sweet thing?" the humor was back in his voice.
"Try me, stud. Having you chained to my bed sounds interesting." Riddick's eyebrows, both of them, shot sky high on that one. Ignoring it, Jenna continued, "Now, answer my question. Where are you at about Jack and Jeeter being 'together'?"
"She could do worse."
"Would you care to elaborate on that?"
"No. … … Ok, ok. I didn't like it at first. But he's not what I thought he was, not like what he played at back on Derius 4. And yeah, I was mad at him about bringing you to the station. But Jack said that he argued himself blue in the face trying to get you to let him handle the deal, you not go on the station, and you wouldn't listen."
Jenna interrupted, "Does Jack have a problem with that, with me?"
"A little … and so do I. … But hell, I don't listen so well either so maybe we should call it even."
Jenna filed that statement for future massive celebration. "Ok. Then, back to Jeeter and Jack."
"Like I said, she could do worse but … Hell, you know that this isn't the right way for it to happen! Not for either of them! The little guy's got … he's not going to want it this way and Jack isn't going to understand that."
"The word is 'pride' or perhaps dignity, honor. So basically, you don't object to them being together, you just don't want either of them to be hurt by it."
"Jack, I don't want Jack … You know, sometimes you're just too damn smart! I'm going to get a change of clothes. Do you want some?"
"Yes, and one of my over-large towels, too. I'd like a shower but the towels in the bunkroom bath are just normal size."
"Does that mean I get to watch you traipse around in it, showing leg?"
"Of course. But I was rather hoping that we could share the shower and then both traipse around showing leg. But, you need to talk to Jack first."
"Fuck."
