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Here’s the first chapter of Talionis!
Location: Scutum-Centaurus Arm
355.6954° 61,567lyFS
‘Dark Space’ 0.67ly from local system JL48-2022 “Lincoln’s Reach”
I woke when I fell hard against the cot.
“Damn it Jive.” I yelled at them, without much energy to my cursing.
“Yeah yeah, wakey wakey, Hedge.” Jive chirped back, speaking around a plastic stir stick stuck in their teeth.
“Could you, for once, give me some warning that you are restoring gravity?”
Jive just giggled and continued tapping at the air as they sat in the pilot’s seat. I grumbled and got out of the crash-cot in the back of the helm. I took my jacket off the deck and gave it a sniff before shrugging and throwing it on.
I had a cursory look at the mirror above the vac-sink at the back of the helm. Same messy brown hair, rough stubble, green eyes. I took off my brown leather jacket and quickly changed my blue shirt with the large soycaf stain on the front for a yellow shirt with a soycaf stain near the hip. At least the jacket would cover it.
“Hey, is it there?” I asked Jive as I climbed up next to the chair.
They took the twisted and chewed stir stick out of their mouth and pointed the wet end towards the view screens. The screens flickered to life as they pointed. They showed just the empty void around us.
They put the stir stick back into their thin-lipped mouth and lifted the operator’s googles. Their bright neon-purple eyes still caught me by surprise every time I saw them. Pale white skin in contrast and not a single hair on their head. Not even brows or eyelashes. They might have their own personalities and quirks, but I wouldn’t ever get used to the look of androids.
“Yeah, Hedge, right there.” They had settled into a higher pitched voice today. It sounded like a giddy child. I hated it right away. Way too much cheer before I had my caf.
“I’m only seeing void here. Can you zoom in?”
They nodded in response and flicked one pale finger in a twisting motion.
The view of space in the bottom right of the screens jumped toward us. Black void with white streaks flew over the screens. The image settled on an irregular mass of black that blocked the pinpricks of stars behind it.
“Won’t get a better picture than that Hedge. We’re still five thousand clicks out. But both transponders register correct. That black squiggly bit in the middle? That is the wreckage of the Allied Sol Corporation Starliner YTK-736 Rugged Expanse melded with the wreckage of the F.F.O.C.S. First Stone battlecruiser.”
“The tip was good then.” I didn’t go so far as to sigh, but relief washed through me.
“Yeah Hedge, it’s good news. Better news, I’m not picking up any other transponders within half a light year. We should be alone for a good while.”
“Good, glad to hear it. Thanks Jive.” With a pat on their shoulder, I turned to leave.
“Yep yep. Hey, do you know what the First Fleet of the Origin Church of Sol was doing out this far? Or why they wrapped their ship around a Corps Fleet transport?” Jive asked.
I didn’t turn back as I answered. “Nah. And I don’t really care. We’re here for salvage, not to investigate. Get in, get out, get paid. Let’s keep this tight. Did you wake the crew?”
“I’m’a guess the grav-kick did that for me!” Jive giggled manically and slipped the operator’s goggles back down over their eyes. I just shook my head as I left through the back hatch towards the galley.
My ship, Strix. She wasn’t much to look at. And I liked it that way. Less attention, the better. Mid-sized hauler, nothing too big and not small enough to get tossed in the wash. Perfect for just slipping by in the void while no one’s paying attention. Strix has been mine for almost six years. She’s my one constant. Well, her and Jive. Even though Jive changes their voice every time they cycle. They were both reliable. The crew had changed a few times, some for good reasons, some for bad.
Peeps was the first I saw. He’d already got the soycaf warming up and just nodded at me as I came close. “Cap.”
“Peeps.” I printed a second cup and placed it next to his on the counter.
“Can you get the droid to stop grav-kickin’ us awake one of these days?”
“You’ve got a better chance than I do. They like you.”
“If that’s another crack at my ocular implants makin’ me half robot Cap…” Peeps voice got low as he grumbled at me. He even squinted a little.
“You’ll do what? Squint harder at me?” I smirked and waved at him as I walked away. “Ping me when it’s hot. I’m gonna go square up the gear.”
Peeps’ reply was lost as Dang stormed past me yelling towards the helm. “I will frag your processors and deep-fry your memory chips as snacks while I watch, you tin-can moth-“
“Woah, woah Dang! Reel it back.” I placed my hand on her shoulder. “You just need some caf. Calm down, get a drink, have some food. You’re worse than a planet-diver after a jump, you know that?”
She stared me down and shoved my hand off her shoulder. She slumped on a barstool at the galley table, grumbled under her breath while she held her head propped up on both her hands.
Peeps printed a third cup for Dang as the soycaf continued to steam in the pot.
I got to Fawn’s quarters and knocked on the bulkhead next to the door. “Hey, rookie, you up yet?”
A dozen seconds later, there was a clatter from inside and the hasty shuffling of cloth.
The hatch sprung open with a pneumatic hiss and Fawn’s blonde hair was all I could see. He parted it and raked it back with his fingers. Blonde hair, blue eyes, pale white skin, and skinny. Regular spacer kid. His crooked nose was even sporting a big ugly red pimple. Kid was still young enough to deal with pimples. That’ll make ya feel old.
“Yes, Captain! I’m up.”
“Did I wake you, rookie?”
“I… uh, yes sir.”
“The gravity kicking on didn’t do that for ya?”
“Uh… no sir. I strap in when I go down. It’s… ah, I thought it was standard… doesn’t everybody?”
“You read that in a manual somewhere? None of my crew strap in for naps. What would they have to relieve the boredom of space if they didn’t have something to bitch about when they woke?” I grinned, but the kid looked concerned.
“So… I shouldn’t strap in?”
“Shit, do what you like. Just be sure you’re ready for crash-and-catch in thirty, got it?”
“Yes sir, will do!” He snapped an honest salute at me. I just shook my head.
“Kid, this isn’t the Corps Fleet or the O.C.S., don’t salute me.”
He slowly lowered his hand and looked abashed like only the young can properly pull off without looking like try-hards.
“Look, your aunt wanted you to get some proper experience, and I needed a mechanic. I don’t care if you attended the Galactic Scouts’ meetings every week before this or what you do after you leave my ship. You’re here for six months. Temp only. But while you’re on my ship, cut out the sir’s and salutes, got it?”
“Yes si… Cap. Hedge?”
“Cap’s fine.”
“Yes Cap, can do.” I saw his hand twitch for another salute, but he turned the motion into scratching his bare chest before it reached his forehead.
I grinned at him. “Good. Now go get dressed, fed and caf’d up. We start burning hull in thirty.”
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