CHAPTER 18 – THE TALK

"Do you think it was murder?" Elizabeth asked.

She and Jack had been in the security office for thirty minutes and, as Jack had demanded, they had talked. Without any more kissing.

Jack had done most of the talking and the conversation had focused on his work rather than their romantic relationship.

After their time kissing in their living quarters, Elizabeth was confident about Jack's feelings for her and that he wouldn't be unilaterally ending their relationship.

Rather than discuss the potential pitfalls of a relationship between a middle-class defense officer and a high-society school teacher, he had explained to her the details of his investigation into the numerous malfunctions on the transporter over the last three months and the accident which caused him to have to make the space-walk last week.

"I can't prove anything. The tethering piece broke off sending the guy, and it, into space so I can't examine it to see if it was tampered with."

"And you think he was getting paid to somehow mess with the ship and he wouldn't keep quiet any longer? So he had to be gotten rid of?" Elizabeth interrupted.

She had already promised Jack that anything he told her would not leave this room. Incredibly, even though they had only known each other for just over three months, Jack and Elizabeth trusted each other completely.

"The guy's bank account information arrived a few days ago. He was definitely getting money from more than just his job. But I don't know the source yet. It could have been something legitimate."

"But I still don't see why would someone would want to mess with the ship."

"Revenge. Hostile takeover. Competition among builders. Your family's company has a monopoly on building space transporters. If the company gets a bad reputation, other companies can move in and get some government contracts. That's lucrative business."

"So, either someone on the ship murdered him by having him float off into space or there's the other possibility - the piece broke off accidentally and his death was unintentional."

"Right."

"And if it broke off accidentally, it means my father's company made a transporter with faulty parts. A part that shouldn't have broken off caused a man's death. Because someone at Thatcher Enterprises was cutting corners, trying to save money, paying off inspectors. Because profit was more important than lives."

Jack nodded grimly. "You have to admit that the transporter's been having problems since day one. More than previous ships according to the records I've looked at and my talks with crew members. The gravitational fluctuations, the power outages, temperature problems, people getting sick, my cameras not properly recording. Either the transporter's a piece of garbage or someone's tampering with it. I've been checking into the transporter contracts, but it's so darn hard when we're light years away from Earth."

"Do you think my father has personal knowledge of faulty workmanship? If that's what it is?"

"What do you think?"

Jack held his breath waiting for her answer. This had been one of his biggest concerns - how she would react to his investigation into her father. So far, she hadn't yelled or thrown anything. Or called him an idiot.

"He can't possibly know every detail of the company."

Elizabeth hesitated before continuing. "But he does pride himself on his involvement in every department, reviewing the contracts, hiring the staff."

"I'm going to be honest with you –"

"I appreciate that. Because if you're weren't honest, I would have to hit you upside the head", Elizabeth explained.

Jack's forehead crinkled as he narrowed his eyes and gave her an odd look.

"Or withhold kisses. I'm actually against violence," she admitted when she saw his expression.

"You're not going to do either. I like my head just fine, and I like your kisses too. Now can we get back to what I wanted to be honest with you about?"

Elizabeth gestured for him to continue.

"There's something that puzzles me. I've been going over your father's accounts as much as I can. He's been transferring sums of money to a couple companies that seem legit. But one company seems off. It has no employees. And apparently, he's not getting anything in return. If this is an investment, it makes no sense. The company doesn't do anything."

"Why would he do that?"

"Maybe your father is purposely trying to drive down shares so he can buy them back cheaply under another name and retain more of a majority. This phantom company could be the front to buy them at a low price."

"What kind of company is it?"

"I can't tell. I'm limited in what I can research from here. As near as I can tell, it makes nothing, buys nothing, sells nothing."

"That's impossible. It has to do something. My father wouldn't be just putting money there for no reason."

Jack shrugged.

"What's the name? I know most of my dad's investments."

Jack pulled up the data on his computer and moved closer to Elizabeth. He glanced at her out of the corner of his eye and smiled. He had to admit that he liked having her as a partner. He had missed being able to talk to her about things.

"It's called Extraterrestrial, Inc."

Elizabeth snorted in laughter.

"What's so funny? That's the name." Jack asked as he looked curiously at Elizabeth.

"I know. But it's not some nefarious company. It's me."

"You? What are you talking about?"

"I'm the Extraterrestrial."

Jack gave her an exasperated look. "What is it with aliens and alien babies? You are not an extraterrestrial, Elizabeth. What you need is some more oxygen."

Elizabeth laughed again. "It's my company. Extraterrestrial. E.T." she said with a smile. "Those are my initials. E.T. stands for Extraterrestrial but it also stands for Elizabeth Thatcher. My dad wanted to give me an allowance and I refused. I'm far too old for that. But my mother insisted, and I am entitled to interest from my trust funds. I had a company set up to receive the money. I don't touch it. And you're right. It doesn't sell or make anything. It's just to hold my money. I named it after my initials."

"But why not just put the money in a bank account, like most people?"

"That's Julie's fault. When she got her first mini-transporter she was quite dangerous. My father was worried that she was setting up the family for a lawsuit. He drilled it into us that excess funds should be kept in a limited liability corporation. The money's just sitting there. He doesn't have access to it. Only I do. And I don't want it now. I'm trying to do things on my own."

"Not everything on your own." Jack smiled and Elizabeth saw a twinkle in his eyes. "I seem to recall that you like to be with me. Touching me. Kissing me. Me touching you. Kissing you."

"Concentrate, Jack," Elizabeth warned when Jack moved closer. "We are trying to solve a mystery."

"Fine", Jack grumbled as he sat back down on the desk and looked at his notes. "Well, that knocks that company out of suspicion. Maybe I should have talked to you about this sooner."

"It probably would have been a good idea. . . . Not that I'm telling you how to do your job," she added hurriedly when he raised his eyebrows at her.

Although, honestly, we could have avoided a lot of problems if you had!, she thought to herself.

After another twenty minutes, Jack and Elizabeth gave up trying to solve the mystery of the transporter for the time being. Elizabeth knew nothing of any importance about her family's other investments or business dealings, and the couple was now sitting on the floor in front of one of the transporter's large floor to ceiling windows on Level 3. Jack set his drink onto the floor next to the left-overs of their late-night picnic dinner.

Elizabeth was sitting in front of Jack. Nestled between his strong legs with his knees propped up on either side of her. Her back rested against his chest.

"No shooting stars tonight," she noted wistfully.

"We don't need them." Jack murmured contently.

He moved his hands along Elizabeth's arms, caressing her skin as he appreciated having the back of her head relaxing against his right shoulder. He lowered his face and enjoyed the smell of her hair. Everyone on the ship used the exact same brands of shampoo and conditioner which were in dispensers attached to the shower-stall walls but for some reason Jack didn't notice the lingering fresh scent on anyone but her.

"You know, you hurt me," she said quietly as she stared straight ahead through the window at the blackness of the galaxy with the twinkling stars of a constellation in the distance.

"When?"

"When you said you wanted to stop being involved."

"Really?" he asked in puzzlement. "I know you were mad at first but then I thought you were okay. You seemed fine."

"I was when I figured out why you broke things off. Or at least I hoped I had figured things out. But before then, it hurt."

Jack paused as he took in what she had said.

"Define hurt." His soft tone carried his regret that he had done something that caused him to ask.

"Tears. Confusion. The inability to breathe normally. An overwhelming sense of sorrow masked by anger."

A guilty Jack lowered his head.

"I'm sorry. I wasn't ready for a serious relationship. At least I didn't think I was. It took me by surprise. I wasn't expecting anything when I took this assignment. And then I met you and you kind of knocked me off my feet. . . . And with my job, and your family, it just seemed so complicated. I thought I was doing what was best. For both of us."

"It doesn't have to be complicated. It can just be what we make it. You and me."

"If your father is involved with this transporter business, I can't overlook that. Not even for you. It could get messy."

Elizabeth tilted her head to look at Jack. "I'm not my father and I'm not my father's company. I don't think he's involved in any way, but if he is, I wouldn't expect you to overlook it."

"You don't know how much that means to me," Jack said as Elizabeth nestled her back against him again.

"And I'm not some delicate little thing even if you think I am."

"I like delicate", he said as he nuzzled his cheek in her hair.

"We make our own futures, Jack. I love my family and I like the lifestyle I have with them, but I'm more than that. Honesty and integrity are more important than any amount of money."

Any remaining tension in Jack's face evaporated at her words. "You're very smart, Elizabeth Thatcher," he said solemnly in her ear. "That must be why you're such a good teacher."

Elizabeth would have responded to the compliment but she was once again rendered speechless by Jack's fingers as they moved her hair out of the way providing clear access for his lips to press against the bare skin of her neck. She sighed at the warmth of his mouth as he tasted her.

"Just friends inside," Elizabeth said with a weak smile as she and Jack stood outside the door of their living quarters later that night.

She leaned against the wall next to the sliding door and held both of his hands in hers. Their fingers intertwined as they delayed going inside. Elizabeth felt like she and Jack were in high-school and her parents were waiting inside the door to make sure she was home by her curfew.

"I miss you already."

Jack bent his face down and gently touched his lips to hers. It was so light and tender that Elizabeth knew it was the final kiss for the night.

A sweet goodnight kiss. Devoid of sexual passion. Full of affection and caring.

Jack moved away from her and passed his bracelet over the door sensor. When the door slid open revealing their small living compartment, they walked in.

Separately.

For now.

UP NEXT: CHAPTER 19