Chapter Five
The night was long and filled with the constant replay of her voice. Knowing she still lived relieved only a fraction of the grief he felt and not knowing her whereabouts or condition did nothing to ease the tightening in his chest. Vector found no reprieve in sleep that eluded him and was thankful when someone knocked on his door letting him know that dawn had arrived and he could be on his way. He rolled out of the bunk, used the refresher and donned his cold weather garb before opening the door to be greeted by the ensign who had escorted him the night before.
As he walked into the control room of the base, he noticed Saganu and Raina talking together on the far side. Both turned to watch him as he approached.
Raina extended her hand toward him and he grasped it with both of his, feeling as if he were abandoning one of his own.
"I know that look, Vector. This is the best place for me, given the circumstances, and the safest. Many of these people are my friends, so you are leaving me in good hands and I will continue to monitor the situation and report to Minister Beniko as directed. You take care, my friend, and find our agent if you can."
"Call us if you need anything, Raina, anything at all. You will be missed," said Vector before he turned to Saganu. "See that she comes to no harm, Aristocra, we fear that Rey'elle would never forgive either of us if we let anything happen to one of her crew."
"So, you think she still lives?" asked Saganu, doubt coloring his tone.
"We know it," answered Vector as he let go of Raina's hand and turned to follow ensign Ch'lan to the vehicle storage room to retrieve his speeder.
The trip back to Dorn base seemed shorter than the trip to Zero Station and he arrived shortly after noon. He had to wait another two hours for a shuttle but was finally on his way back to the ship and then Nar Shaddaa. He had something he needed Scorpio to do while they were in flight.
"Kaliyo," he called as soon as he was on board the Phantom. "Take us out, carefully, and go to hyperspace as soon as we are clear of the station. We would prefer not to have an encounter with that fleet lying in wait."
"Nar Shaddaa?" asked Kaliyo.
"Yes," Vector said as he walked to his room to remove and store the cold weather gear and grab a membrosia orb for sustenance. He would require solid food soon, another sign of the lessening pheromone chemicals, but he could survive another few days on the nectar provided by the hives givers.
The nest greeted him happily and was glad to have him within range of the aura of the fingerlings that inhabited the ship, it strengthened the link and made communications easier, they were always ill at ease when he traveled too far from their contact.
Their presence was something that Rey'elle knew about, but he had neglected to tell the others for fear that they would not understand. Kaliyo would have likely used chemicals and Lokin dissection to better understand Killik physiology. It was safer for the nest that all others were ignorant.
Vector made his way to the engine room that Scorpio had taken up as her preferred station. She could monitor the various drives and also had access to a terminal which allowed her to monitor the holonet and other sundry frequencies.
"What can I do for you, Vector," she asked as he entered the room.
"When we asked you to break the encryption on Rey'elle's personal holo before Hoth, did you happen to keep a copy of her contacts and codes?"
"Of course. I believe in contingencies, Vector, and information is sustenance, no matter how mundane."
"We require the private code for Ardun Kothe. We know that she had contacted him on occasion and desire to speak with him."
"For what purpose?"
"This new enemy is attacking both republic and empire and he may have insight that we lack, plus he may have information on where Rey'elle may be. Please do not give us trivial numbers again as to why she should be dead, Scorpio. There are things that speak to us that logic and calculations cannot begin to fathom."
"Very well. It may take some time, but I will notify you when I have the information you seek. Now please leave, your presence is disruptive."
"One more question. What do you make of this new fleet, surely you have done some analysis."
Scorpio leveled her eyes on him and they flared like liquid gold for just an instant. "I am presently collating the few facts that are available to me and have found nothing of significance yet but will notify you of any change."
Something in her reply bothered him, some tiny nuance that set him on edge. "Very well, Scorpio, continue with your work."
She had already turned her back on him by the time he did an about face to leave her presence.
'She is up to something,' he thought as he walked back into the common room to wait. 'But then, she is always up to something and, more often than not, to serve her own interests.'
A little over an hour later, Scorpio walked into the common room and programmed the required code into the terminal.
"I have done as you asked," was all she said before she retreated again to the engine room.
Once again, Vector was a victim of too much time, and even though he was sure she lived, he was still haunted by her absence and still grieved the loss of everything she brought to him. The laughter they shared, the intimate moments, her tears, her smile, her touch, all out of reach now, out of sight. Misery became a constant burden that he could not even share and sometimes he thought he would crumble under the sheer mass of it all.
He went into the cockpit and sat in the copilot seat next to Kaliyo. "How long to Nar Shaddaa?"
"Seven days, give or take," she leaned back in the pilot's chair and glanced over at him. "You know what chaps my ass, Vector?"
"Please enlighten us, Kaliyo."
"The fact that you couldn't wait to get me off this ship. The fact that you didn't even ask if I wanted to stay and didn't try to talk me out of it when I agreed. First Raina, then me, who's next? You've got that whole damned bug hive, home thing going for you. Me? I got nothin'."
Vector turned slightly in his seat so he could look directly into her face. "Kaliyo, we have never been friends and likely never will be. Rey'elle tempered our impatience with you when most of the time we wanted nothing more than to wring your neck. However, we do see value in what you offer and the talents that you possess.
"You must take what we are about to say as complements, not condemnations. There is no person on this ship more devious, scheming or cunning than you. There is no one else we can trust to work their way around Nar Shaddaa. You have contacts, inroads and insight into the pulse of that place that no one else has. Your personal shortcomings are an asset in that environment and you are more than well equipped to survive. And, you are tenacious to a fault, you do not give up.
"We did not make the decision lightly, Kaliyo, but if Rey'elle were here, we feel that she would have asked the same of you. This new threat is beyond anything we have faced before, already they move against us, and we require eyes and ears everywhere. There are no better eyes than yours."
Kaliyo snorted. "Yeah, well, pretty speeches won't change my mind or opinion of you, bug boy and I already know how damned good I am. Anyway, at the risk of repeating myself, I'll play your little game until something comes along that's more up my alley. Just don't learn to rely on me too much or for too long."
"We never do," Vector stated as he got out of the seat to go back to his quarters. Once there, he took his personal datapad and began to compose a letter.
Subject: We no longer hear your song.
Dearest. We do not know if this will ever reach you but we will send it anyway. We have replayed the attack on Darth Marr's destroyer from all angles and can find no closure in what we see. We heard your song rise into a deafening scream and then go silent and we have searched for your aura in the wreckage and detected not even the faintest glow.
We heard your voice in the winds of the universe, so distant and quiet we almost missed the whisper. We know you still live and we will search endlessly. The ship, our home we shared is now cold and we see your visage everywhere we turn but we miss your touch, your body close to ours, the sound of your voice, the depth of emotions and sensations that only you can awaken.
We do not know what the future holds or what we will become without you for we have lost our center and the next verse in the song has no words. We love you, we will come for you and if you can, find some way to illuminate our path. We will constantly be watching for that light in the darkening days.
Yours always,
Vector
He would send the letter from Nar Shaddaa and, perhaps, if the universe is kind, she will receive it and find some comfort in the words.
Vector then walked to the med bay and found Dr. Lokin at his usual place in front of his monitor, scanning the lines of data that scrolled by. "We hope we are not disturbing you, doctor."
"Of course not, my boy, just let this analysis finish and I will be right with you," Lokin said as a deep frown crossed his face and he watched the last of the data scroll off the screen.
"You know it is a mistake sending Kaliyo to Nar Shaddaa alone." Lokin remarked as he turned around on the swivel stool on which he sat.
Vector closed the door. "We are aware of the risks, but we find them acceptable. She would become bored and disruptive if she remained with us, and a bored Kaliyo is capable of anything. You know this."
"All too well," admitted Lokin. "And what of Scorpio?"
"We have been considering something you repeated when we saw that fleet over Hoth. Like they are controlled by nothing human. We begin to wonder if Scorpio knows more than she is saying. What if that fleet is robotic in nature and what if Scorpio somehow knows this. She worries us, doctor.
"She was, after all, created by an ancient race and has spent most of her time upgrading herself via these 'iterations' as she puts it. She knows a great deal about imperial tactics, culture, even secrets. She could do us great harm."
"Or great good, Vector. If she can unravel the secrets of this mysterious interloper, she could provide the means to defeating it. But, I suppose she does bear watching, although I am at a loss as to just how to do it. She is beyond anything that can be controlled by traditional means thus, I believe, the only strategy is to wait and see.
"We need more information about the origins of that fleet, and until we get more data, everything is guesswork, at best."
"We suppose you are correct, doctor. Speaking with you always brings clarity. We fear that we have been distracted to the point of seeing conspiracies everywhere."
"And how are you doing, Vector?"
"To be honest, if we knew for certain that Rey'elle were dead, we would ask the hive to take us deep within the hibernation catacombs, cocoon us and let us sleep until nothing was left except dust.
"But, we heard her call to us on Hoth, the sound was as small as a mote in a sunbeam, she is alive, doctor, and we must continue until she is safe within our arms once more. No matter the cost or how long it takes, although this knowledge does little to ease our mind."
Doctor Lokin rubbed his chin between his thumb and index finger. "I must confess I have never understood this bond you have with the universe or the songs you claim to hear, but I have seen enough to take you at your word and I will help as long as I can. You have my word on that."
"We thank you, doctor, for your continued friendship."
Kaliyo and Lokin seemed to resurrect some of their old camaraderie in the remaining days of the journey to Nar Shaddaa. Nothing to the depth of the physical encounter they had once shared, but simple, joking banter, perhaps their way of saying goodbye.
Much of their humor escaped Vector, but it was nice to have laughter to break up the monotony of the long flight. Scorpio remained distant, as usual, an enigma wrapped in a metal skin. No one truly knew her mind, and that possibility alone was frightening.
They came out of hyperspace over the ecumenopolis of Nar Shaddaa. The surface lights created a halo around the moon, reflected and amplified by the atmosphere of smog and noxious gases that surrounded it.
"Ugh," said Kaliyo. "You can almost smell it from here. You better make sure you give me plenty of kolto and antibiotic cream to put in my pack, Eckard."
"Of course, my dear. Can't have you picking up a case of the Bothan Nether Rot, now can we?" Lokin laughed.
"That's, of course, depending on whether or not I decide to get horizontal with a bothan, old man."
"Kaliyo, do a high orbit sweep please. Use the cloak if you need to, then we will land," said Vector.
"Aye, aye, sir," snapped Kaliyo, but she did as he asked.
"My stars," said Lokin. "There's another one of those damned things. Just started it looks like, and there's another small fleet guarding it."
"Turn us around, Kaliyo, we've seen enough. Get us planetside as soon as you can."
"Scorpio, get up here." ordered Vector. "How long until these things are complete, best estimate?"
Scorpio glanced at the structure before Kaliyo turned the ship around. "Most orbital spaceports took between three and five years to be fully completed, usually being partially operational after two. I estimate two years, possibly three at most, with partial operations being possible after one year. Of course this would depend upon resources and labor, which seem to be no problem here. Droids are infinitely more efficient than humanoids."
"Any idea what they are for?" asked Vector.
"I am still collating data. At this time even an educated guess would be a waste of processing power since accurate input is unavailable. Perhaps you should ask the architects when they reveal themselves," Scorpio replied before leaving.
Vector and Lokin simply exchanged glances, nothing needed to be said. Kaliyo did not share the same need for silence. "That's one bitch I won't be sorry to leave behind. She's always given me the creeps."
Kaliyo docked the Phantom at Mezenti spaceport with no trouble. A quick look out of the cockpit window did not show any evidence of damage and the crews began immediately with the refueling process.
Kaliyo left the cockpit to gather her things and arrived back at the exit with a duffel, a backpack and her rifle slung over her shoulder.
She punched Vector on the shoulder but not as hard as she could have. "So, bug boy, guess this is it then. Can't say we had a lot of good times, but at least it was never boring."
She dropped her duffel and backpack to the floor, and grabbed Lokin by the front of his lab coat, planting a very wet and long kiss on his lips. Vector turned away to give them a moment of privacy when Lokin put his arms around the Rattataki and pulled her close. They hung together for a few minutes and finally parted, Kaliyo with her lipstick slightly smeared and Lokin with a dark smudge around his mouth.
"Thanks for the fun and the good times Doc. You gave me a few nice memories too and I don't have a lot of those to carry around with me. Take care of yourself, old man, keep that beast in check, ok?"
She retrieved her things and pressed the control to open the exit and extend the boarding ramp, and turned one last time to speak to Vector. "You find her bug boy, neither of you is worth a shit without the other. I'll stay in touch for as long as I can. Got some friends here I can bunk with for a while and just make sure the empire keeps the credits coming or I might forget to check in. Be seeing you around."
Vector watched Lokin retreat slowly to the med bay while he closed the airlock.
'And then there were three,' he thought as he headed back to the cockpit to check on the preparations for their trip to Alderaan.