A/N: Still with D&D and Shadowrun, as I'm using them to cover for GURPS and D20 Modern, which aren't represented in the Games section, an oversight that I hope is resolved soon... (He suggested in an ominous tone of voice) Now we get to see the real scope of things. Time to leave.
Chapter 2 - "Nothing in life is so exhilarating as to be shot at without result." – Winston Churchill
The next thing I knew, I woke up in another motel room. I think. No, wait, the Coliseum has boxes that you could mistake for them. I looked around, and saw Marcus sleeping next to me. The others were sprawled on various pieces of furniture decorated in Raider, A's and Warrior colors. I sighed in relief and lay back down. I remembered what I was thinking before I passed out. I had to have, at some point. I must have been a sight. Probably like a better-dressed homeless person, one they'd turned out of a psychiatric facility.
I had to stop this. I relaxed and hoped sleep would take me. After a few minutes of morbid thoughts, I was out again. Hi, Oblivion, how's the wife and kids?
(((())))
I woke again, this time to an angry, barely subdued conversation. Kate versus the world, it sounded like, or maybe Rei and his mom. I didn't care. I opened my eyes and looked to see – "Uncle Mike!" I tried to sit up, and the pain hit me. Hard. He was at my side quickly, holding me down. I looked to see a large bandage across my left side, just below my ribcage. Captain Michael Whitmer, N/S AmNav (Retired) looked me over carefully and said, "How do you feel, Trieva?"
"Screw that, how's Sam? I was worried sick." I meant that, too. Not being able to talk to her was part of what was making me impossible to live with.
Michael smiled. "She's fine. When Tika didn't show up for lunch, she knew something was wrong. She's with everyone else."
I sighed and relaxed. "Good."
Nick and Marcus stood to one side, watching. "Okay, he's who he says he is," Tarantino said. "We wouldn't let him near you until he proved it."
"Which you refused to accept, you damned Corporate flunky," Michael replied crossly. "Well, not any more." He smiled unpleasantly. "The Marine was a little easier to convince, unlike you damned civvies," he added.
"How were we supposed to know?" Kate demanded. "Anyone can say anything."
"Y'know, I don't know how NCIS thought you were worth anything with that attitude," I said as I sat up with Uncle Mike's help. My side hurt, but not as bad. "What did I miss?"
"It wasn't the Imperial. Good shooting," Michael replied as Kate fumed. "Got to work on your dodging, though." He looked at everyone else. "Just like y'all have to work on your security. If anyone else knew, you'd be in their paws."
I have to describe Michael. He's a Wolf Lupine, about six-two, athletic build, with night-black fur and eyes the color of the evening sky. Oh, Vilina, he's hot, even at fifty. He's not from California, but I never held that against him; I think he's from Nashville. He's a former SEAL. His wife Sofia is a slate-grey Wolf Lupine, about five-seven, voluptuously athletic and a former Recon Marine. Between the two of them there's a lot of damage capability, and they never felt a need to apologize for that. Why should they? They did their duty.
The TV was on, with the volume down low. The incident at the Park was showing, with the banner below saying the perpetrators would be caught soon. I hoped not. We needed to move before they tied the chopper from last night – was it that soon? – to today. "How much time do we have?" I asked.
"We don't know. So far they haven't linked the helicopter to anything, but they will, eventually," Azaria replied. "You can't move yet. The shot hit your spleen, and Tika and I had to do some quick surgery to keep you from bleeding out internally." I shivered. "You think you had a problem. Captain Whitmer threatened us with spankings." I had to laugh, which hurt.
"And if you ever do that again, it's your turn," Michael told me. "I don't ever want to have to explain to your family, Trieva."
"Okay, I'll be more careful. I thought I was being stealthy, just like you taught me."
"The only good thing is you ran into a rookie, according to Azaria," Nick said. "He should have called for back-up, instead of taking you himself. He wasn't that bad, though. He found you fast." He shook his head. "Rookies always manage to do that, be brilliant and stupid at the same time."
"Did you have a problem getting out?"
"Nah, about the time you killed that trooper, NorthAm troops were swarming the place, and there was a serious argument over who has jurisdiction," Marcus replied. "I think they're still figuring that out. Nick and I walked hand in hand out after 'making up'."
"Don't say it," Tarantino said.
"Hey, this is 'Frisco. Nobody cares. It's so common it's nearly invisible," I said. I shifted and laid back down. "How long do I have to stay here?"
"A few days, at least; more likely a week. Nice choice," Uncle Mike said. "Nobody comes to the Coliseum any more. Too dangerous, and there's a rumor the place is haunted." He looked around. "And I'm not sure they're wrong. I've seen and heard a few odd things every time I've ever been here."
"This place is dangerous? What are we doing here?" Kate asked.
Tika laughed at her. "Oh, come on. That was said to keep looters out until the place could be stripped after the quake. All that's left is power for the outlets, safety lights and fire alarms. All they're doing here is storing the old furniture."
"What gets me is how you knew she'd be here," Kristy said to Uncle Mike as he sat on the floor beside the couch.
"Oh, Trieva was the leader of our neighborhood's 'Three Amigas'," he replied as I made a face. "They didn't believe the rumors, and the place became their not-so-little playground."
"No security?" Azaria asked. "Not even to keep out squatters?" Damn, but she was getting good with the lingo. I'd have to keep after her about teaching me Saffian.
"Too expensive, and after the valuable stuff was taken out, there wasn't any point," Tika replied. "We got caught once, but the police only said to be careful." She patted the wall beside her. "They built things pretty tough back then, and the quake didn't do much damage. It was an excuse to move the Raiders, Warriors and Athletics to the Sausalito area. The land was cheaper."
After a brief pause, Kate said, "So, we're okay for a while." I wondered if she was going to check in.
"As long as we don't draw attention to ourselves," I said, looking at her pointedly. "We still don't have a clue if we're still wanted. Miss Parker said she'd withdraw the warrants Umbrella had on us, but I don't know if NorthAm wants us. I'd have to check, and I don't think that would do any good. They might have cut off my access."
"Just where did you fit into NorthAm's organization?" Nathan asked as Uncle Mike broke open an MRE and began feeding me. Sometimes he treats me like a kid, but this time I didn't mind. He knows I like teriaki chicken. Damn him.
"I worked directly for Jason Blake. After I found the people in Nevada, he brought me in as his own operative," I answered between mouthfuls. "I was working with David Lucas and his team. I don't know exactly how I fit in, but it was enough like freelancing to go with. I didn't show on the official payroll, if that's what you're talking about."
Tarantino looked thoughtful. "Maybe your accesses aren't gone. Whoever replaced Blake might not know about them. Did you and Lucas get along okay?"
"Yeah. He listened to me, and I caught a few things he didn't. He said as much at the meeting with Blake a few weeks ago." I had to stop and control myself. Jason Blake was such a nice man. He never talked down to me, and he listened. The same with Lucas and Kirasawa. The Empire had taken a lot more from me than I'd thought, and I was just beginning to realize how much. They might have hurt themselves more than they thought, though. Blake didn't need to die. They could have made a deal.
Michael patted my paw. "Don't worry, Trieva. You're not alone. Everyone's going to wonder what's coming for the next few years, and there's no way they're going to have a walk-over. Not after the news hit the nets." I looked at him, and saw his expression darken. "Oh, yeah, the planet's up in arms. It looks as though Miss Parker kept her word, and then some." He smiled nastily. "Of course, since it hurts North/South Am, all the better," he added, looking at Tarantino, who nodded, his eyes sparkling.
"So, what's next?" Rei asked. I'd forgotten he was there. "We can't go home, and like Trieva said, there's nowhere we can go that Umbrella can't find us."
"We'll have to go off-planet," Azaria said. "Everything you've thought of and all that we've been through tells me that. The Empire's not as big as the one in Star Wars, but you can get lost in it. I can get everyone identities that won't be questioned, but I don't know how hard that might be. The real problem is transportation. The only ships in this area I'm aware of are military vessels, and the odd civilian transport."
"What about Jessica?" Kate asked. "Couldn't her father help us there?"
We had to think about that. From what Jessica and Azaria had said, he wasn't well-liked for his political leanings, which I think included equality for everyone, not just the non-Furred. Even Arcturia didn't want us dead. Someone had to fill those "demeaning" jobs the "upper crust" didn't want. Frakk, this was so like the twentieth and early twenty-first century. Oh, yeah, the gamer's still here. I don't have to point that out every few minutes, do I?
"That could work," Azaria said after a few minutes. "The problem is how he goes about it. So far, I don't think anyone off-world knows who you are, and what you did. I'd have to check, and that could be tricky, and not just because of communications. Wrong's still out there, somewhere."
"How good is communications?" Uncle Mike asked. "Way back when, the fastest way for word to get around was by ship, then telegraph or telephone until we had long-range radio and satellites, and that took some time to perfect, even when we had global coverage. It wasn't until we had decent computers and programmable digital systems that time and speed stopped being factors."
"Between stars and planets, it's by ship; radio's far too slow." Azaria paused to think. "I don't know if anything's gone up the line yet, or how far, but I'm sure Wrong won't say anything until he has us in custody. It doesn't look good if you can't catch a few natives and one deserter," she finished nastily.
Uncle Mike nodded as he studied her. "Just out of curiosity, what level do you fall in, as far as combat training goes? I don't buy the idea that you're a civilian. You're military CID. It shows."
She smiled. "It's too bad the Empire doesn't appreciate our kind, Captain. They have no idea what they've started. It might not become a brush fire that consumes the entire Empire, but it could be crippling. Sooner or later someone will object to the blood-shed. I only hope it doesn't become a civil war, because that won't help anyone.
"I'm probably at the Marine level; I understand they're tougher coming out of Basic than the other services. Our forces are roughly on par at each level. Trieva basically took on a Special Operations trooper, and even a rookie is tougher than most."
I closed my eyes and shivered. Damn, I'd taken on a freakin' Recon Marine and lived to talk about it. If I'd known, I'd have run like hell. I've seen Aunt Sofie practice; she and Uncle Mike are in the Reserve and have to maintain their skills. They're deadly in a fight, and that's why they don't get into any, and maybe that explains why Sam never got into any after the first. I couldn't see them not training her. I never heard anything else from the military kids I knew at school. Despite its liberal image, 'Frisco's still a military town, and the tradition lives on.
"It's okay, Trieva-chan," Michael said. "You couldn't have known."
"Next time, I'm running like hell."
"No, you did the right thing," Azaria said. "He'd have back-shot you without thinking about it, and you'd be dead. He was probably thinking his reputation would freeze you in your tracks, and you'd go quietly. Ignorance works both ways."
"That doesn't help," I said. "I should have thought of that. I should have known they'd use troops instead of the cops."
"Shut up, Trieva," Marcus said. "You can say woulda-coulda-shoulda all day long, and it won't change anything. You were lucky. Just don't count on it." He was right, but I still didn't like it. I nodded my head, and concentrated on eating.
"Is she always this head-strong?" Kristy asked.
"It started when the coyotes killed Sam's dog. No questions, she just went out and did it. It's not just her, either. Julian and Nora inspired Tika and Sam's career choices. Dorian's a hell of a traffic controller; he has two awards for untangling what could have been a real disaster when Flight 607 had to make an emergency landing. From what I read on the news, he kept calm and focused while the other TCs were beginning to panic. He essentially ran the whole aerospace port for thirty minutes," Michael replied.
"Melisond's an aerospace engineer, and she test-flew the advanced shuttle prototype herself when no one else would. Janice is a high school teacher, and she doesn't take any nonsense. Her students love her. Maybe that's supposed to be average for Rakasta, but not in my book." He looked at me and smiled, and I blushed through my fur. "They're all a bunch of over-achievers. She'll go far, though I can't say if she'll be the next Teddy Roosevelt or Pancho Villa." I should have known he say something like that. One of these days, Uncle Mike...
Even Kate laughed. "I can see both," she said.
"That's the scary part. So can I," Nathan added.
"Say it, and I'll scratch out those baby-blues," I told Marcus. He just spread out his paws in an "Oh, hey, not me" pose.
Uncle Mike looked at him with the appraising prospective father-in-law gaze you can't miss. "Hmm, okay, it could work." He glanced at Rei and said, "You already know what your kids might look like."
"Oh, did you have to say it?"
(((())))
I spent the next few days down as the others scouted the area for either Imperial or NorthAm troops. I had to wonder why no one tracked us, then began to suspect maybe Dorian had something to do with it. I wouldn't put it past Uncle Mike, and I'd kept him in the loop as much as I could. Sam visited that weekend, and we were able to make sense of what had happened. They'd gotten Tika, but didn't know Sam was on site with Melisond when they grabbed her; Sam had called to change plans, and the unfamiliar voice on Tika's 'link sent them running. They couldn't touch Dorian; he was senior TC for the NorCal segment of the NorthAm PacCoast Aerospace Region, and they needed him. They did keep a watch on him, though.
Uncle Mike had grabbed everyone else and moved them to his place in the Big Sur area; he'd invested his money well and bought a fair-sized tract of land there, putting a few cabins in the woods. The fact they didn't know about it made me think Michael hadn't been completely honest with North/South AmCorp about his private life. If I knew him as well as I think I did, he'd probably say it wasn't their business, and never would be. I had to wonder if that would change when the Empire got everything straightened out. Probably not; so few people live there full-time, and it was still a big tourist area. It probably would be even more after they moved in. Maybe.
I spent my time mostly checking the Web, looking for signs we were still being hunted. My access to NorthAm was still there, and I did some very careful checking. So far, nothing, but they were still searching. I had to wonder if we'd left anything behind they could track us with, but there was nothing we could do about that.
About a week after Alcatraz, I received an email from Dave Lucas, and I spent about an hour wondering if I should open it. I couldn't be sure if they'd gotten to him or not. After a while, I gave in to curiosity; it had good and bad news.
I was under orders to turn myself in from NorthAm Region's new COO, Robert Davenport, but Dave assured me there wasn't anything behind it, as I'd worked for Blake personally, not the GovCorp. My pay – the total made me blink – was credited to my account, but that was being watched to try to locate me, of course. No one in his team was under scrutiny, but Kirasawa had quit after a not-very-subtle "suggestion" that he look for another place to work; most of Dave's team had handed in their notice in solidarity, and they were now operating as a freelance security team. My apartment had "mysteriously" burned down after the police had cleared it. I sent a carefully-worded reply that I'd like to talk to him in person, details to follow. If anyone was watching him, I'd find out fast.
Once I was able to get up and move around – carefully. I was still stiff and in pain – I did light housekeeping on the boxes we were using. It was surprisingly soothing to have something to do. I also had time to think back on events in 2074 Seattle.
It never occurred to me Howling Coyote was playing the game, but sometimes the story takes on a life of its own, and you just have to ride it out. All I had to say – anything beyond what I told him – was he'd better not have put me on a course that would take me to the Black Wolf. He's my one god-like character, he's been through just about everything, and he tends to be very, very nasty when he's upset. Fortunately, it has to be something I consider horribly wrong, and impossible to justify. Of course, that depends on my mood at the time, and the situation I have to deal with. I'll say this much: If it outrages me, you can bet it won't be mere vengeance coming. It'll be punishment.
I stopped vacuuming, as my side was hurting again. I popped one of the prescription pain-killers Tika had somehow managed to get for me, and wondered who was calling when my 'link signaled. I tend to use ring tones that tell me who's calling, but this one was for unknown callers: The Who's Who Are You? Hey, whatever works.
I looked at it for a few moments, then keyed it on. "Hello."
"Trieva?" Jessica Walker's voice asked. "Is that you?"
"Jessica? Where are you? I thought you were leaving this rock because it's not safe."
"I've been better, but it was fun. Kind of," she replied. "Look, I want to help. You got me free of the mess, and you're in trouble. The Empire's got a price on all of you."
"All of us? Which us?" I asked, unable to keep my concern out of my voice. I didn't go through all that just to have it all fall apart.
"You, Kate, Tika, Nathan, Kristy, Marcus, Nick and Rei," she replied. I let my breath out and said a silent prayer, Thank you, Vilina. "Your families and friends are all right, but only for a while. They really want Azaria for turning on them, too. I've got to get you off-planet before they get serious about finding you."
"How serious?" I knew that could cover a lot of territory, all bad.
"Wanted dead or alive, with a lot of benefits to a 'loyal citizen of the Empire'. That means Humans, Elves or Orcs, of course," she said candidly. "You made North/South AmCorp – and by proxy them – look foolish, and that's unforgivable."
I wanted to say "yes", but I couldn't. No one else was here, and I didn't want to call them, just in case someone was monitoring. "I can't speak for the others, Jessica, but we talked about it a few days ago. Azaria thinks we should, and that convinces me." I paused, then asked, "Can you find my location? And get here without being noticed?"
I could hear her smile. "Reginald is a former Imperial combat pilot. What does that tell you?"
"Um, not a lot. I wasn't paying that much attention. The problem is everyone will notice Rasputin." Try to imagine not being able to see a bright pink Millennium Falcon, for example. I dare you.
She chuckled. "I think we can get around that. As one of your old movies said, 'Look to your skies'. I'll be there about six this evening, and I won't be alone. See you then."
"O-okay," I said. It was all I could say, as she cut off. "What the hell have we gotten ourselves into now?"
(((())))
Everyone gathered about four or so in the afternoon, after a day of checking various lines. Tika wasn't wanted any more, but she'd been fired by SFFD with a really lame excuse that her friends were "inconvenient". Uncle Mike vetoed my request to blow up the Howard Street station, but he knew I wasn't serious.
Nick and Nathan still had person of interest status due to Rei and his dad's disappearance. Kristy, of course, had quit. Kate had checked, but hadn't gotten a reply about her assignment. I was thinking she might be rudely surprised when she did. Marcus and I were also persons of interest, but in Jessica's disappearance and re-appearance. I took the chance of telling the authorities via email to talk to Jessica about it and see what she had to say. No mention of Azaria, but I'm sure someone wanted to talk to her, and I didn't think it was going to be chatting over tea and biscuits.
Uncle Mike and the others – mine, his and Tika's families – were in the clear. It was "just a misunderstanding", according to NorthAm. Bull. They might not be wanted, but they were on radar now, and would probably never get off it. I wondered if that was my fault. I couldn't help it. Then there was what would happen when the Empire decided to carry out its plan.
(((())))
I waited to tell them about the call from Jessica until after a very late lunch; most didn't bother to eat until they'd finished all their work. I think the silence lasted two minutes, until Kate said, "Why didn't you tell us?"
"Oh, sure, make a call to everyone in the clear, where we can all be tracked down and grabbed one by one." I kept the sarcasm to a minimum – for me. "I'm obviously too stupid to make a real decision."
"About time you figured that out," Rei said. I gave him my best "death stare". When I was back to full health, he was in serious trouble.
"Shut up, you freaking cloistered monk," Uncle Mike said. "And I have to agree with Trieva about you, Kate. I can't believe you were NCIS. Your attitude positively sucks. Even with all those advantages, you can't or won't see your hand in front of your face, while Trieva's done pretty damn well, in my opinion." Kate was about to say something, and he snarled, "As you were, Lieutenant. I'm still the superior officer here. If you weren't so stuck on law and order, you might figure a few things out.
"First, it's not over, not by a long shot. The Empire's here to stay. They're not going to just let this go, from what Azaria said. You must have slept through your history classes, or you'd have noticed how much the Saffia Empire matches Rome's or Britain's.
"Second, sooner or later someone's going to see you and call the cops, and that'll be it. You can't take on the world if I can't, and I know I can't," Michael said, ticking off each point on his fingers.
"Third, you can't hide forever. You were lucky, and that runs out, eventually. Someone's going to twig to the Coliseum, and that'll be it. We're taking one hell of a chance. Last, if they think it'll drag you in, they'll grab your families, and won't let them go. Umbrella's bad, but they've got to be worse."
Uncle Mike took a breath, and added, "You might think your rights are protected by the Corporate Constitution, but that went away when the sympathetic heads of state were replaced. It might not happen tomorrow, or next week, but everyone will find out democracy in any form died that day. We Furs will really find that one out, but what do you care, Pink-skin?" he said; I was surprised that he used the derogatory slang for the non-Furred. He never had before. "You're still going to be a citizen. We're going to be fertilizer."
I was shocked at how brutally, viciously truthful Michael was, but I shouldn't have been. Mine and Tika's families, Sam and Aunt Sofie were going to die if the Empire got its way, and Kate was still insisting everything was going to be all right. The law would stop them. Is this how the Europeans were before the Nazis came in? I never thought I'd see it, never mind live it.
"I have to agree, but for a different reason," Tarantino said. "Everyone seems to think it'll be peaceful, but what Azaria told me in private says different. If they can keep it from being reported, what we saw in Kenya will be the norm. Someone will figure out the sex toy scheme eventually, and then it'll get interesting. People who speak up will disappear, and they don't have to be killed. Imagine being shipped to another planet. I'm sure the Empire has something like Australia tucked away in a little corner they never talk about."
"But, someone has to be able to stop it," Jeffries persisted.
"This assumes they want it to stop," Azaria replied. "Have you heard any protests? Remember, they now have total control of your entire communications network. I'm sure certain topics and subjects don't get passed-on and are vanishing from your archives as we speak." She shook her head. "This isn't the first time they've done this, and it won't be the last, unless something significant changes. The best we can hope for is they'll ship our kind somewhere they don't care about, but I don't see that happening. If you think someone will stop it, well, I have to say it had better be you. You saw what happened to the rebels. You have to know the odds aren't even close to favorable." She grunted a laugh. "Your George Lucas was just re-telling another fairy tale. Reality doesn't always live up to them."
"So what do we do, have them sent to the moon?" Kate demanded. "There isn't anywhere enough room."
"They won't waste the resources. Killing is much more efficient, other than body disposal, and you already have examples of that." She grinned, and it wasn't nice. "The next victims will dispose of the previous victims' bodies. You can thank the Nazis for that, but it's nothing I haven't heard of before."
I think that's what finally convinced Kate. The fact Azaria had heard of it didn't really surprise me, not after I saw Patterns of Force, or read Anne McCaffery's FSP books; most if not all all of her works tie-in with each other, from Dinosaur Planet through the Dragonriders of Pern. Maybe even more I haven't read. My point is, human nature seems to be the same everywhere you find them. Not that we Furred are any better. We've had our share of scum. WWII wasn't fought only by humans, Elves and Orcs. Not by any means. Everyone remembers Tojo was Rakasta, Stalin was Lupine and Mussolini was Di'Topi. Is it any wonder we're second-class citizens now?
"How about we wait to hear what Jessica has to say before we start panicking, running for the hills or giving up?" Tika suggested. "If she can help, that might be our only way out. Us, not Arcturia. I'm sure it occurred to someone we might be in over our heads. I don't know about you, but I don't feel like being the Resistance. It's going to be a lot harder than it was in the nineteen forties."
"Tika's right," Uncle Mike said. "They've got the advantages, or most of them. We have the real story, but how do we get listened to?"
"Thanks, Uncle Mike."
"Don't thank me yet, Tika. I don't want to be right."
(((())))
Six o'clock rolled around, and everyone waited, some nervously, some impatiently, the rest with what I have to call fatalism. Whatever happened, we couldn't do anything about it. Not now; maybe not ever. I have to admit I didn't want to be anything like Leia Organa. I don't want the attention or responsibility. All I want is to be able to get away and do what has to be done, then come back to my family. People who want to be heroes don't understand it's a really rough job. All of us knew it more than we ever thought we would, or ever wanted. People who want to be heroes also end up dead a lot, and sometimes take other people with them.
I was talking with Tika about what we could do, but we never thought we could avoid leaving. I've been hunted before, and I didn't like it then. This was worse by at least double, and I intimately understood how the people I hunted down felt. At least they didn't have to worry about being shot dead on sight.
I looked up when I heard the sound; more like felt it. The entire complex seemed to vibrate just below hearing level, and I walked to the window and looked out to see a small starship and three Imperial assault fighters – I think that's what they were – land at mid-field next to the helicopter. The damn thing took up nearly the whole field. Everyone checked their weapons, just in case it wasn't Jessica.
The cockpit of the center fighter opened, and a male figure helped a female figure out of her seat. I held my breath until she removed her helmet, and long, dark brown hair spilled out to blow in the light breeze outside. I closed my eyes and sighed to myself. Okay, it's her. Now we'll see.
(((())))
Jessica looked at me with concern when she arrived. I don't think she expected anyone to get hurt once she left. "Are you all right?"
"Everything still works," I answered. "It only hurts when I move." Damn it, I sounded peevish even to me. I must have been worse than I thought. Jessica carefully leaned down and hugged me. Her perfume was intoxicating; if I wasn't – Stop that. Yeah, right. I was the one who made out with the stand-in to catch the fan-boy. Who the hell am I kidding?
"I'm sorry. I came back as soon as I could. Father didn't want me to, but I convinced him you wouldn't come with the security team if I didn't." She looked at Uncle Mike and Tika as she sat beside me. "Are you Trieva's friends? She was so worried about you."
"I'm Michael Whitmer, retired Navy captain. This is Tika Maran," Uncle Mike said. "She was, but everything's more or less all right." He looked at Jessica as though studying her, then grunted a laugh. "I've seen my first alien, and I'm disappointed. I wasn't expecting such feminine perfection."
I had to groan at that. He always managed to drop a Monty Python reference at the worst possible moment. Deliberately. "Uncle Mike, you are soooo dead."
"Save it up, along with the rest," he replied. He stopped smiling and gave Jessica his best professional assessment. Reggie and the security team noticed and paid attention. "You'd do all right with training," he told her. "But I don't think being a mercenary is in your plans," he added. She waited for him to smile, telling her it was a joke, but I could tell Michael wasn't joking. "I'm serious, Miss Walker. From what Trieva told me, and seeing you in person, I think you could be very dangerous, and no one would ever know until too late."
"No, that isn't on my list," Jessica replied with a shiver. "Are you typical of your type? You're military special operations yourself, from what Trieva's told me, and very formidable." She paused, then spoke in Saffian to Reggie. He looked surprised, then thought before shaking his head and replying. From what little I knew of the language, she seemed to be asking if they could take all of us, including our families, and he'd said it would be too great a risk. Jessica sighed, and her face told me she wasn't happy with that.
"You can't be serious," I said. They looked at me in surprise, and I told Azaria in my limited Saffian, "They won't go. This is home."
"Not bad." Zolaris smiled. "With the right training, Trieva could be very dangerous, Captain. I think perhaps the Empire made a mistake choosing Arcturia." She looked at Jessica and Reggie, and spoke rapid-fire Saffian too quickly for me to follow. Reggie looked thoughtful and nodded as Jessica's face appeared hopeful. "Then it could work." She turned back to Michael as everyone else looked at her in surprise. "I think we have a way to safeguard you, as Trieva obviously wants. Some of our citizens will very likely settle here, and will want local 'pets'; Miss Walker's family is sympathetic to us and might be induced to come to help, provided you can play the part well."
"What, as slaves?" Doctor Holder replied with distaste.
"In name only, Doctor. Oh, there will be 'hostages taken to guarantee your cooperation', but you and they will be treated well. The Walker family never cared for the Humans and Elves first attitude. The Empire is slowly learning that they're better off with us." Azaria paused and asked a few questions I couldn't follow. Reggie's answers made her sneer. "They never learn. Wrong's not going to get what he wants. If you kept the military from noticing your true mission, he'll be branded a failure, and go back to face his disciplinary hearing with nothing to show for it but lost men and resources after never being able to capture or hold a few amateurs. I imagine his face – what's left of it – would make the 'Infamy' list."
"Could you explain what's going on?" Kate asked. "What are you talking about?"
"Plainly put, I'm offering you a chance to save your families, as well as yourselves," Jessica replied, her violet eyes sparkling. "You'll come with me while we place your families 'under arrest', then in special protected status as our indentured servants. They won't lose their freedom; other than having to wear our sigil it won't change anything. If they have the right skills, we can improve that to bonds-folk, and later actual citizenship. Maybe not what you had before, but it would be much better than what you might get." She shrugged, then added, "If they're in an important technical, military or economic position, even better. It's much better keeping trained people in their positions, instead of replacing them to suit racial demands. The Empire isn't completely cold and unfeeling, just practical."
"So was Rome," Tika said. I could tell she was trying not to take it personally.
"Yes, it was. The question still is, will you take it? There's no other way to save them, Tika. Arcturia's a Protectorate now, but that could change radically if anyone starts any trouble, and I'm sure they will, if Captain Whitmer is any indicator," Azaria said. "Yes, it's distasteful, but I'd think you'd rather they were alive once the dust settles."
Tika looked distressed, angry and resigned all at once, and I couldn't blame her. The whole idea rankled, but Azaria and Jessica were right. They'd still be alive and safe, and we wouldn't have to worry. I looked at Uncle Mike, and told him in Lupus, "Take it. I don't ever want to worry about Sam again. The same with Dorian, Melisond and especially Janice. You can still plan the Rebellion," I finished with a smile.
Michael chuckled. "Yeah, that's true. Okay, I'm in. I can speak for Trieva and Tika's families; right now they're essentially my guests, but they can see what's coming. They're not stupid."
"I don't like it," Rei said stubbornly.
"You must not like living, either," Marcus replied. "I bet your mom would love to know you didn't care about her, because your feelings got hurt."
"Reijyn has no say in this matter," Doctor Holder said. "You will go, and we will stay, and that way we will all live."
"What about Umbrella, or NorthAm?" Nick asked.
"The Empire is supreme," Reggie said. "Any agency that steps out of line will be dealt with. I think you understand what that could mean."
"Yes, I think I do," Michael replied. "There's a lot of history to choose from, but the one that seems to match the best comes from Russia. A failure in any organization was traced down, then the person responsible, his branch supervisor and everyone else in that branch was shot, along with their families. As an example to the rest," he finished, his eyes darkening and his speech clipped. It wasn't something he liked to think about, because his grandfather's brother had gone out that way, and it hadn't been his fault.
"Don't say a thing, Kate," I said, shutting her down. "It was the same way in Japan and Germany, at about the same time. Nasty, but it worked. Nobody wanted to make any kind of mistake after that. Too bad it didn't apply to the Generals or Admirals." Her eyes asked, but I won't explain. Not yet. Uncle Mike knew; Dad had told him.
Jessica listened, and nodded. "Almost word for word, Captain. Have you heard, or are you that pessimistic?"
"Morbid. Pessimism would be an improvement."
"So, what do we do?" Kristy asked. "Just climb aboard and leave? All we have is what we've got."
"We'll see to it you have an escort to your homes to collect what you need, but we can't waste time," Reggie answered.
"We can get what we need," Tika said. When I looked at her, she said, "Look, you don't have a medic, and you never had one until I got involved. You could have died, Trieva, and like Uncle Mike said, I don't want to have to explain it to your family. Remember the pact we made?"
I did. We'd said, Together forever; us against the world, if need be. Sam's words. I didn't take it too seriously then, but I had when Sam disappeared. I ground my teeth together that she'd use it this way. "Damn it, Tika, you'll be safe. You don't need to leave. I don't have a choice."
"That's right, you don't," she replied with that grin, which told me her mind was made up: She was coming along, to hell with what I had to say. I had to smile, because what I liked about her the most was her loyalty and determination.
"You win, Tika. At least I'll have you with me," I said, surrendering as gracefully as I could.
"See? Sometimes she does the smart thing." Okay, now that was going too far.
Before I could answer, Nathan asked, "How are we getting there?" I guess he was in. Not too surprising, since he was on Nick's team, and Umbrella's list.
Jessica pointed out at the spacecraft. "It's not much, but it's transportation. My father has influence in the Empire, but not enough to change policy. He also has connections. The ship is a former military scout, which means it doesn't need to, 'hitch-hike' I think you'd call it, to travel interstellar distances."
"If I may ask, how could you leave and be back in a week?" Tarantino said.
"I never left the system. I talked to my father via faster-than-light radio. No one knows but us – and now you – there's an Imperial installation on your moon, beneath the Korolev crater; Korolev M, to be specific. Civilian scientific, not military."
"What? We thought – " Kate began.
"Propaganda and misdirection," Reggie said. "All anyone knows is we only appear on the station, but that's not all the information. Captain Whitmer should understand."
"And when did we receive clearance for what has to be classified information?" Uncle Mike asked after a few minutes.
"Because you'll have to spend some time acclimating to low-G before going into zero-G," Sinclair replied. "Not you, but the ones leaving, Captain. You'll need to know as well, because there's a listening post on the lunar north pole near Peary crater that monitors all communications traffic. You can send messages, if they're carefully-worded and you do it infrequently. They can contact you more freely, as they have access to the global system. It's how we monitor all Imperial systems."
"How long has it been there?"
"A lot longer than official contact. It was placed in twenty-fourteen. No one goes into unfamiliar territory without doing reconnaissance. The posts in place in other systems are for use of Imperial citizens and officials; most native peoples don't know they exist, for reasons that should be obvious to you."
"They're not obvious to me," Kate replied.
Uncle Mike face-pawed. "Hrodwolf, what are they turning out of Annapolis these days?" he asked in a pained voice. "It's so they can't be hacked or hijacked by the natives for their own use. If North/South AmCorp or the Asian Panel had any idea what they could learn if they hacked in, what do you think they'd do?" He shook his head. "Senior Special Agent Gibbs and Director Vance are probably rolling in their graves."
Kate blinked in surprise. "How do you know them?"
"They investigated me once, and that's above your clearance level, so don't ask." Uncle Mike looked at me and said, "Trieva's not able to travel, yet. I hope you have some way of keeping unauthorized personnel away from here."
"It's being evaluated as a staging area," Reggie said. "With a few modifications, it could house a battalion of troops and a fighter squadron. Needless to say, the Walker faction will have a strong presence here."
"I don't understand," Rei said. "Why the Bay area?"
"Mostly to do with you. Some of you are from and know the area, and it's a strategic locale. Alcatraz is another, but we're not interested in it for reasons you already know. We can watch the Empire's station there from here." Sinclair smiled at me. "A very astute choice, Trieva. Azaria's right, you could be dangerous."
I blushed. "Maybe, but I have to get that far, first. I just want to get away, before something else happens."
"You went to great lengths for me. I can't do anything else but help," Jessica replied. Her closeness made me a little nervous. I had to wonder which way she swung, considering she didn't blink when I suggested it look like I was making out with her, instead of a robotic substitute in Nevada. I didn't want to ask, that's for sure. I wasn't sure I could handle the truth.
"So, the obvious question is who's going," Uncle Mike said. "I can't. Defense would notice. Doctor Holder can't. That would put him in the fire, instead of just the frying pan." He looked around the space at the rest of us. "Looks like a total of nine." He grinned, and drawled, "Y'all gonna name the ship Serenity? Got the numbers for it."
"Uncle Mike..." Tika said warningly.
"I can stay," Rei said. "They don't know who I am."
"Wrong," Reggie countered. "They tried to grab your mother, and had your father. They have access to the information system, and I'm sure they know. By now they have dossiers on all of you, including Ms Maran. They don't have anything on the Whitmers, but I wouldn't count on it staying that way. It's definite they have all your pertinent information, including your families."
I watched as everyone digested that. Kate looked half-shocked, while Kristy managed to stay stoic. Marcus only shrugged, and I wondered why. Uncle Mike's face became the cold, unreadable "battle mask" I'd seen when he was practicing. Tika and Nathan were as transparent as the air as they reacted. Rei's defiance faded and he looked worried. Only Azaria seemed unperturbed, and I thought it was because she was burned. Nick only paused as he lit a cigarette, his eyes hooded.
"I suppose that means it's settled," one of the Humans on the security team said.
"I've got a question," I said. "What are we going to run into out there? I don't really remember hearing that a lot was different, other than the rules."
"You won't be out of place as much as you might think," Jessica said as she patted my paw. "Azaria was right about what you see here being out there."
"I think Trieva means as far as technology goes," Marcus said. "I'm kinda worried about that, too. I just replaced my rifle, and I don't want to have to throw it away."
"Oh. Yes, that makes sense," Reggie said.
"About what you're used to," Azaria said. "A few more energy weapons, but we still have guns and such. We didn't throw anything away that was still useful. As I said, the Empire's practical. The swords might stand out, but not that much."
"How long will we have to be on the Moon?" Rei asked.
"At least six months," the Human answered. "Not only for acclimation, but someone's going to have to learn to pilot the ship. I'll go along to help, but I have to return to duty. I won't until I know you can make it on your own." I could barely read Saffian, and I think his name-tag said Barzain.
"I think Lt Maritza should go, too," Reggie said, nodding to a semi-exotic Feline who resembled an Ocelot. "Someone will have to teach Saffian when Azaria's not available."
Maritza nodded. "I have no problem with that."
"Then I guess it's settled," Jessica said. "So, would you like to look at your ship?"
"Our ship?" Kate said.
"Well, it's officially mine, but you'll be listed as my crew. I have crews scouting locations all over for shoots. I'm still an actress." She smiled. "But effectively it's yours. You'll need to learn how to pilot, navigate and transit hyperspace, make repairs and so on, and that's just the ship. You'll have to learn about the Empire, too. Six months might be optimistic."
I pictured the Moon's far side in my mind. Korolev was a good-sized crater near the Lunar equator, about 400 miles across; M was about 60 miles across. My astronomy class was paying off. If the base was under it... "How big is the base?"
"Not as big as the crater, if that's what you're thinking. About the size of Oakland in area," Barzain replied. "In volume, we're talking about a cubic mile; it's close to San Francisco in population. Scientists, for the most part, and their families. The posting's a two-year contract, and keeping them apart lowers their morale, and consequently their efficiency."
"No military presence?" Michael asked.
"Only for brief inspections. Scientists don't cause trouble, as they tend to stay focused on the job. The support personnel are former military, but only because they know how the system works. It's a very well-run outpost type; all of them are."
"Sounds like you've been there," Kristy commented. Barzain only smiled. So did Maritza. I wondered if they were a couple; it made sense, in several directions.
"I'll accept that for now. There have to be Intelligence types there; Intel likes to watch everyone."
Reggie gave Uncle Mike a long look. "Suspicious type, aren't you?"
"Put yourself in our position, and say that," Uncle Mike shot back. "It makes a lot of sense to watch a prospective acquisition, too."
Sinclair nodded understandingly. "Yes, you're right. They come and leave with the inspectors, and in case you're wondering about plants, everyone's records are checked, and we have a reserve of people who are familiar with each world. Only they get the duty. Some actually retire and stay, after training their replacements. The Empire's practical."
"Wait a minute," Kate said. "If that's so, why the drug? If there's no reason for it, why is it happening?"
Barzain sighed. "I don't need to tell you about prejudice. Some factions think the galaxy would be better off without certain species. It seems Wrong and his crew are that type, going by what Miss Walker told us."
"He implied he might end up as Imperial Governor, or something like that," I said. "Or he was just jerking my chain, but I don't think so. He seemed so sure."
Reggie looked thoughtful. "I can't say one way or the other; I don't know him that well." He looked at Azaria.
"Don't ask me. I'm prejudiced," Zolaris replied.
"Gee, I couldn't guess why," Kristy said drily.
"Then you're the perfect one to ask," Michael prompted. "You know him better than anyone, if what Trieva told me is true."
Azaria looked at me angrily and snarled, "Did you even think of asking me?"
"You were always off somewhere alone or with Nick, causing some kind of trouble, so how could I?" I said. "Who else could I trust? Dad's an electrical engineer, and mom's a trauma nurse. How could they help?"
She nodded, then said, "Wrong's not part of any faction. He's just a bigot who thinks very highly of himself, and his race."
"For no good reason," Barzain added.
Nathan snorted. "Nothing we don't already have here."
"Then that's all you need to know. You know the type."
"Great. A racist with a badge," Kate said. "Knock off a hundred years, and nothing's changed."
Jessica and Azaria looked at her. "What do you mean?"
"She means the only obvious difference between Wrong and your average Klansman is the ears," Tarantino replied. "You can look it up, if it's still there," he added when they looked confused.
"If it ain't, y'all can ask me," Michael said, his Southern drawl coming out in force. "Nashville ain't Klansville, but ain't far away." His eyes glimmered maliciously. "Frakkin' rednecks and crackers think they're the best thing since sliced bread, but they fold in a real, stand-up fight," he finished, his speech and tone returning to normal.
"How do you do that?" Jessica asked.
"Oh, I don't know, does SpecOps include infiltration and camouflage?" Uncle Mike asked ironically. I didn't need to see it, but I knew Tika was rolling her eyes at the same time I did. "Oh, stop it, you two. There's more to acting than reciting lines and hitting your marks, Miss Walker." Jessica thought about it, then nodded.
"Well, how'd you like to look your ship over? It's not much, but I'm sure you can do what needs to be done with it."
"Her. A ship's always referred to that way," Michael replied. "It goes along with the idea a man's married to his ship, and the sea."
"Uncle Mike..." Tika and I said in unison.
"No, it's all right. It's not something I'd know about," Jessica replied. "So, want to take a look?"
I looked at Tika and Azaria. "Am I okay to go out?"
"Yeah, just take it easy," Tika replied. "But the second you look like you're having a problem, you're back in here." She looked at Marcus. "You're carrying her; you did before." Marcus looked away as though embarrassed.
"You sure about what you told me earlier, Soldier Boy?"
"Stop it," Zolaris said. "Unless you don't want to see the ship."
"Oh, that's low," I growled.
"It works. We're practical," she replied. She almost kept the smile off her face.
I carefully followed everyone, and after about ten minutes we were inside, looking around after checking the exterior. Nathan made his opinion clear when he said, "What a piece of junk!"
"All right, Luke Skywalker, you can wait for your damn' fighter. I'm the only one qualified to be Han Solo, here," I replied. "I know a good thing when I see one." I didn't know much about spacecraft, other than being aboard Rasputin, but I could tell the hull was in good shape. It wasn't dented, and its color was even, which meant no corrosion, inside or out, at least where we could see, which was quite a lot. "I'm pretty sure Jessica wouldn't foist a piece of junk on us. I'd bet Reggie wouldn't let her."
"Hey, what about me?" Rei asked. "I can fly."
"Forget it. You're not tall enough to be Chewbacca, and he buys it later, in one of the novels," I replied. "You don't have close to Lando Calrissian's charm, either." I narrowed my eyes. "I don't think you're even old enough to drive, let alone drink and carouse, and do you think anyone trusts you enough to actually ride with you?"
"So who's Obi-wan Kenobi?" Nick asked as Rei fumed.
"Someone looking to die halfway through." I was getting some good ones in, which meant I was going to pay for it, but I didn't care.
Uncle Mike had looked the ship over critically. "I'd like to have Sam and Melisond along to be sure, but looks good to me. Maybe your dad, Trieva. I know how to break 'em, not much else."
"Don't play that game, Uncle Mike. You got your engineering degrees at Annapolis," Tika said. "Who else but an engineer would know how to break them?"
"You're not too big to spank, and neither is Sam," he retorted. I wondered why.
"What class of engineering?" Reggie asked.
"Mechanical and Electrical. I was originally going for Nuclear Engineering, but SPECWAR needed people worse. I added structural when I was stationed in Norfolk." He glared at Tika. "Melisond's an aerospace engineer, Tika. She's more qualified. I want Sam for a second opinion, and she knows something about avionics. I don't."
"You'll do," Sinclair said. "But the others taking a look is a good idea, if it will give you peace of mind. I wouldn't recommend anything I didn't intend to fly myself, and the Gladius class is a good one. The only thing better is a Scimitar. The latest Swiftsure upgrades were applied, at Lord Walker's request. It's not the fastest ship-type out there, but it's faster than most."
"What about combat?" Rei asked. I couldn't help rolling my eyes. What the hell was he thinking, we were going to take on the Empire ourselves?
"It's still a Scout. It's meant for reconnaissance, not combat. At best, it can stand up to pirates, but nothing in the Imperial Star Fleet." He looked at Uncle Mike. "Are all kids like this? He thinks he can take on the Empire alone?"
"He hasn't learned what mortality is," Michael replied. "He hasn't been close to death, and I wouldn't bet that would teach him anything. Book-smarts, instead of street-smarts." He looked at me. "You're not that stupid, right?"
"I was wondering if I was gonna die when I passed out," I said flatly. Jessica flinched. "Don't worry, I learned my lesson."
"Not that smart," Rei snarked.
"Fine. Get another pilot, or whatever. I don't have to take this crap." I stood up and walked out before I did something I was going to regret. Not plastering him on the deck, but hurting myself in the process. "Have fun. I'll just turn myself in. My chances are better."
I heard Tika's footsteps behind me, but I didn't stop until I was on the field sidelines, and I sat on a bench. The perimeter security team looked at me curiously, but didn't do anything. I could hear shouting in Spanish, and I didn't care if Rei's dad tore strips out of his fur. No, I didn't plan to turn myself in, but I sure as hell wasn't going to put up with that idiot's noise, not after some of his screw-ups. It was going to take a lot to get me back on board.
"You didn't really mean that," Tika said as she sat beside me. It wasn't a question, and she was right.
"I'm sick of that brat's attitude. If he's so frakkin' smart, why isn't he rich? Better yet, why isn't he running Umbrella?"
"I'm surprised you didn't go after him."
"And rip out my stitches? Besides being down again, I'd have to listen to you gripe about ruining your work. You think I forgot what that's like?" I'd accidentally made a mess of some of Tika's work in Biology class, and didn't hear the end of it for a week. I was close to asking Sam to teach me how to bitch-slap someone properly in front of her to make my point, but Sam beat me to it. Literally. She cracked our heads together when I got tired of taking it, and started yelling back.
Tika looked away, embarrassed. "Sam would put us in the hospital, and just our luck, we'd have your mom as a nurse."
"No, she'd just look at us, like she did with Hendricks." I sighed. "Look, I've had enough of Holder's crap. He never really stuck his neck out until Alcatraz, and who got you and his dad out? He would have done more for us if he'd been on their side. He thinks just because he's great with computers it works with everything."
"He seems to have it in for you," Tika said.
"That obvious? He's still pissed because I tackled Tarantino before I knew who was who, and what was going on. I don't think if I'd known Wrong was playing his game I could have changed anything. I was covering my team, but he won't believe it. He's an only child, and except for Sam, we both know what they're like." I had to stop, because if I started, I might get mad enough to walk in there and shoot the self-righteous punk.
"Trieva?" I looked to see Kate walking out, and rolled my eyes and sighed. Just great. They send her out as the negotiator. My life's a joke, and I'm the only one who's getting it.
"What do you want?" Tika said, standing in her way.
"Hey, I helped get you out of there," Jeffries protested. I guess she was going for the gratitude angle. She don't know my friends very well, do she?
"So what? You went in because it was easier than arguing, right? I know what Trieva's like; I only grew up with her. I'll bet several of those thugs died when they got in her way." Kate nodded uneasily, as though she had trouble accepting Tika could be okay with that. "So what was your real motivation? I'll bet it wasn't me." For someone shorter than most people, Tika can be pretty intimidating. She has to be.
"Well, no. It was Doctor Holder. It was about the only way to make Rei act like a person, instead of a jerk," Kate replied. That was true. The little dick was whining half the time about how his dad had been grabbed, and it was all my fault. Some people. They just can't let go. Well, I'm not that different, but I don't let it get in the way. I keep it to myself.
"And Trieva didn't say much, did she?" Kate nodded. "So just who's the real man in that group?" Ouch.
"Marcus is looking pretty good for that," Kate replied with an evil grin. "Trieva seems to think so." Tika looked surprised, then giggled. I rolled my eyes, and kept quiet. "Look, we don't get along, and probably never will, but I know when I'm beaten. I got a call the other day, and I'm being cut loose. I was okay because of Jessica, but it came from higher up. I was associated with 'known criminals' and didn't take anyone in, and they said something about breaking terrorists out of Alcatraz. I'm finished in law enforcement."
I looked at Kate sadly. "I'm sorry." It sounded lame, even to me.
Kate shook her head slowly. "It's not your fault. Who knows what Wrong told them, but I'm sure it was a pack of lies, Trieva. We're stuck with each other," she said with what I thought was ironic satisfaction.
"Stay away from Marcus. I saw him first." Kate looked at me in surprise, then laughed.
"He's not my type, and 'Uncle Mike' reminded me I was an officer, so I'm stuck with the fraternization thing, too. It doesn't apply, but it still wouldn't feel right. That, and well, I prefer my own kind, or both sides of that, more likely. I can't really help it." She looked at me and tilted her head to one side. "I still can't get over how you suggested the make-out trap. Don't you have any preferences?"
"Yeah, open-minded and breathing, with a temperature of thirty-seven Celsius and a pulse." I managed to keep a straight face and not laugh for about fifteen seconds. Kate's expression was priceless, and Tika's giggling was infectious.
"Hee-hee-hee! That was mean," Tika struggled to say.
"I'm kidding. I prefer guys, of course, but you can't help wondering."
"Oo-kay," Jeffries said. "Look, I know we're not going to get along, but we can't stay. And you were right, nobody trusts Rei as a pilot. He should stick with the techie stuff; it's what he's good at. I mean, what good is he otherwise? He can't really fight, and he won't learn to shoot. We've got you and Ms Maran, so we're covered with medics. Marcus is no slouch for fighting. Heck, we've got that one covered five ways. Kristi's the negotiator, so what's he got left?"
"He's got pain in the tail covered," Tika chimed in.
"You stop," I said. "I'm not sure I want to put up with him. He's got that 'I'm male, I'm right and I'm superior' attitude that I hate. Ten bucks says he'll be the same putz when his dad's gone. What's my motivation?"
Tika took out her 'link and said, "How about I call your dad and tell him you're being stupid?" Now that was low, even for her.
I knew I was beaten. I was stuck with this bunch of mis-fits, like it or not. Well, I could deal. Marcus was all right, Nick was okay and we could depend on Nathan. "Okay. Everyone else needs to grab their stuff, right? My apartment mysteriously burned down, so everything I have is here. You guys need to get your stuff together, so I'll stay here and get familiar with the ship."
"That was easier than I expected," Jeffries said.
"Tika knows exactly what to say or do."
Kate nodded. "All right, I'll tell them. What should I say if Rei snarks off?"
"Ask him if he wants his mom four-foot-pissed instead of just angry."
(((())))
I returned to the box on my own, while everyone else got themselves straightened out. The last thing I wanted right now was to listen to that whiny brat, so I moved mine and Tika's stuff to the space next door. I noticed a few familiar logos, and realized this was the box that had been reserved for NorthAm personnel. I set the gear down and inspected the consoles. They were direct lines to the 'Frisco Gov/Corp office. I had to stop and calm down. If they were still active, I had an inside line, and from what I remembered, these weren't monitored by the offices. Lucas once said the higher-ups didn't want anyone knowing where they were when out having fun. They had to keep up the image of hard-working businessmen, and had to stay in almost constant contact in case something happened while they were away from the office. I looked them over, then walked away. I could figure out how they worked later. Right now, I had something else to deal with.
+4525 XP blinked in my vision. Holy crap, that one day counted enough to put me up to 5th level? Well, dealing with Parker, taking the Saffian trooper, staying out of sight and planning the set up meant a lot of work and experience, but damn. That and everything up to now, I guess. It seemed like a lot, but I wasn't going to complain.
I couldn't go for the Tracer Prestige class yet, so I improved Fast. My Base Attack improved to +3, and I chose the Increased Speed Talent so I could out-run problems better. That was good. And, with eight skill points, Investigate got one so I could take Tracer next time. I improved Pilot by one; I was still shooting for Starship Operation. That left six points, and improved Survival and Treat Injury. I had to think about the last three points, and finally improved Drive, Hide and Move Silently. I got another 7 Action points and immediately felt healthier (another d8+3 Hit Points), but I wasn't going to fool myself into thinking I was all right. My Wealth increase hit, but I wasn't sure I could use it, yet. I'd have to talk to Lucas; maybe he could do something. He had contacts in more than his division. He had to. His job was to keep tabs on internal threats to security, not just the other Gov/Corps.
Maybe, just maybe I can get a lot of crap off our backs, I thought. I grimaced. Rei was much better at computers, which meant I'd need his help, and that rankled. Well, I can always watch him, and clobber him if he tries anything shady. What do I mean "if"? With him, it'll be when. I smiled at that idea. I promised myself I wouldn't enjoy that too much.
That done, I searched the box, and found the 'fridges still had food in them, and I was suspicious that the dates were still good. I had to wonder if we were being watched, or if they maintained the supplies out of habit. I kept searching, glancing outside every few minutes, and was rewarded by finding a ring of keys to the box. Good. Now I could lock out the world, if I had to, and get some privacy for the sneaky stuff I had in mind. I looked at and locked the connecting door. I couldn't wait for the complaints. I blinked, remembering there wasn't any sign of a door on the far side. Well, good. That'll stay my little secret, for now. What they don't know can't hurt me.
Too much? Maybe. I wasn't feeling too safe, and having my own space would help. It was a reaction to everything. A healthy level of paranoia can keep you healthy to stay paranoid, and so on. Rei was getting to me; I'd put up with his garbage for a month, and I'd had enough. Plus, you can't get rid of the feeling you can't trust everyone. I could trust Tika, Uncle Mike and Sam, of course, but I wasn't too sure about Nick, Kristi or Nathan. They were still former Umbrella personnel, and I'll never get over what that Corp did. Rei? No frakkin' way. He had an ego bigger than Arcturia. Kate? Nope. Once a cop, always a cop, and my line of work crashed into hers too much. I'd been stopped by a few cops who wanted the collar, never mind I had the bail bondsman's warrant. Marcus? I had to think about that. I wasn't sure if he was that interested, considering what I'd figured out. I shrugged. I'd have to take it slow. I didn't doubt I made him uncomfortable at times. I grunted a laugh. I Want You to Want Me started playing in my head. Yeah, that was true. I'd have to take it a day at a time.
I sat down, and immediately felt tired. The trip to and from the ship, and the arguments had taken a lot out of me. I checked a few cabinets, found the bedding I knew had to be there, pulled out the sleeper-sofa and laid down. I was asleep almost before the pillow started to warm up.
(((())))
A/N: Still some way to go. North/South AmCorp and Umbrella aren't done, and Trieva needs to heal up.
Acknowledgments: Yeah, I dragged Jethro and Leon from NCIS in just for fun. The oblivion line is an Orlando audience-participation line for The Rocky Horror Picture Show from 1980.
Translations: chan – familiar female person, affectionate