Fates Mates & Pirates - 4. Chapter 4

“There.” I swung us around.

“Where.” Then I spotted it. And moved in for a closer look.

I heard Grandma sigh, “That’s old. And no one survived that.”

“Next possible target, then.” I said as I shifted us away and froze. Ramming the landing thrusters to full. “Brace, Brace, Brace.” Sounded over the Comms as I pulled back hard and tried to get our ass higher than the rogue asteroid moving at us. The shields took the hit as I jinked and rolled, trying to deflect it as much as possible.

“Damn it. Let’s move up. This is getting ridiculous around here with all the rogues.” I said.

“Yes please, Marc.” Grandma said. I pulled us up 40 degrees and started moving out again.

“EO. Anything at all?” The Captain had moved over to the EO’s station and worked with them to increase our scanning ability. Two other ships had arrived. One stayed the outside scanning, the other entered the field on our second track. We found a lot of wrecks, but not what we were looking for. I was starting to wonder if I had it wrong until Mike spoke up.

“Check this please, Marc.” I looked down at the screen and turned the ship.

“Drop my ping to point 05nn and concentrate to needle point fan.”

“On your screen now.” I reoriented the ship and watched as Grams stood behind me.

“There.” She pointed.

“Nice catch Mike. Let’s go take a look.” I felt Mike’s pleasure as he stood next to me with his hands on my shoulders. I dropped the bow and headed lower into the belt again at a lower speed. After four hours of poking around, I was getting tired of dragging this beast on my back as we searched. Nudging up to 40 percent power, we plowed through several dust bands on our way to what we hope is our located ship in distress. Grams had changed the Watch, but our pilots all stayed here. As we got closer, Mike got more excited as the target firmed up. I am sure at one point he tried to massage my shoulders, but I had my armor on. That was a no go.

Dropping under a large asteroid, we looked up, and I called. “There she is.” I dropped our speed to zero as we looked over the situation.

“EO, are we getting any response to our hails?”

“No, Captain.” She shook her head and turned to the 1st Officer.

“OK Peter. Let’s send out the Flitter. See if you can see inside that ship.”

“Aye Captain.” I looked around our area and watched the movement of our roids. I did not see any obvious signs of rogues.

“EO. Increase me to 5nn wide scan, please.”

“On your screen now” Tracking our surroundings, I was paying close attention to finer particles. The Flitter is just for moving around the outside of the ship for inspections and repairs. It’s not meant for transportation to planets, or in this case, asteroids. It has very little power and the shields are a joke at best. I watched as the Flitter descended to the surface.

“Captain, we are getting hammered by these small particles.”

“Are they coming in from the starboard side, Peter?”

“Affirmative.” He said.

I looked at Grams, “I can see if I can put us upstream and block it with the shields.” She nodded. I turned to Mike.

“All back 5 percent to the Mains.” I stood looking over at him. “Down 7 degrees on the stern and start to swing our stern to starboard.” I patted his shoulder as he caught on and leveled us out almost perfectly upstream of the asteroid and Flitter, bringing the Mains to full stop.

“Watch the position. We might start to slide to starboard.” He nodded. I turned to Grandma with a raised eyebrow.

“Peter, how is it now?” She asked.

“Better Barb. The ship makes a better wall than a window. How long can Marc hold it?” She chuckled.

“Until he tells Mike to move.”

“Nicely snuggled up, are they? Well, good. Those two would be good together.” Robert laughed as Grandma just shook her head, while I smacked my helmet as I rolled my eyes. I felt Mike laughing below me. I continued watching the scans as we hovered in position. Mike did indeed have to slide us to port a few times.

“Grams, we need to speed this up. We have some bigger stuff coming down the pipe.” I said.

“Peter. Marc needs you guys to speed it up. We have more rogues inbound.”

“If Marc’s concerned, then so am I. We almost have the hatch cut. Say 10 minutes to get back.” Grandma looked at me. I grimaced.

“Sooner is always better. I don’t want to take on too many of those rocks. They could push us hard enough. I would need to move us out of position.” She made an unreadable face as she started to talk to Peter again. I tapped Robert, and he slid back, then vacated the seat. I took a second to reset the controls to my specs and slid the seat forward.

“I have the Helm.”

“You have the Helm.” Mike said as he raised his hands and looked at me. I slipped us farther to port.

“Keep an eye on our new friends coming in. Robert, you’re on overwatch. Tell me everything that moves if you don’t see me reacting to it. And keep a close eye on that Flitter. Give me a play-by-play when they start to move.” It was getting harder to hold position as the particles got larger. The timer was running. I tapped a few keys and watched for results.

“Robert and Mike. Plot me a new location. I want to swing the bow into the oncoming crap and still be able to provide a shield to the Flitter on the ground. Then I want you to chart the Flitters course along the surface until they can duck behind this asteroid.”

“Aye Helm.”

“Grandma. Tell Uncle Peter not to move from that spot. We are moving. We will send them a course. And can we salvage that little craft of there’s?” Gram gave me a shrewd look.

“You want to steal their ship?” I grinned.

“Well, steal is a little hard to buy. They can’t fly it off. No one will come out here to tow them off. So. If I should happen to swing close enough that suddenly our tractor beam reaches out and grabs some junker, jerking it off the rock.” I shrugged. “Sounds like salvage to me according to the laws.” She shook her head.

“Peter, don’t lift off. We are moving and are going to send you a course to fly.” I heard a chuckle.

“Weather getting bad or Marc rolled off of Mike.”

“Weather getting bad and I’m not sure who is doing what to who. Regardless, let us know when you are ready, and we’ll send you a course once we are in position.”

“Marc is in the seat, I am assuming. Are you going to grab the Explorer on your way past?” Grandma chuckled.

“First words out of the kid’s mouth.” He roared a laugh.

“Yup, he’s an Alexander alright. OK Barb. We are almost done here. The father is going to need the Autodoc and his son is just shook up. As soon as you are ready, let us know.” I settled the ship, pointing the bow towards the river flowing through our space. Mike smiled a nod at me.

“I sent a possible over. I can hold it if you want.”

“You have the Helm.”

“I have the Helm.” I raised my hands and looked at Mike. He was more confident now and was doing OK. I almost forgot I was about to look at the position he had plotted. I pulled it up and looked at it, then I looked at Robert.

“This will work, I think.” He nodded and shifted his own projections, then sent it to me as well. After reviewing it, I nodded.

“Thank you, gentlemen. Grandma. We have a course for them.” She nodded. I turned to Mike.

“Slide us into position, Mike.”

“Yes Marc.” I watched my screens as we pulled into the spot. Looking out over the bow, I let loose a low whistle at the display of crap blowing across the shields, like a bow wave on a ship at sea. I wasn’t the only one that noticed that.

“I have the Helm.”

“You have the Helm Marc.” Mike raised his hands and pulled back, smiling at me.

“Now would be a good time, Grams. Tell them to stay low and get behind this rock so we can swing around and pick them up.” Grams nodded and started talking across the link to Uncle Peter.

“Captain. Message from the Antagonist. Hostiles inbound. They sent us the scans.”

“Send our thanks and ask for a timing.” Robert was already pulling up the scan and sent it to me. I looked twice as I watched the Flitter’s progress. They were moving as fast as they could.

“EO, tie my Link into the Flitter please.” This would let Grams hear me too as she was in the Link with Peter.

“You’re on Helm.”

“Thank you.” I tapped a key.

“Now would be a good time to get out and push Uncle Peter.” He laughed.

“Moving as fast as I can. What’s your plan for the pickup?”

“I’m going to slide over and back past, then dive in on you. We’ll spin around and bring you to the shield perimeter. Once you are in position, I am going to drop the shields and back down on you while you try to dock. Speed over finesse. It’s getting crowded up here.”

“Understood. We are around the horizon enough now I think you can move.”

“Copy that. Hook, line and hauling ass. We’re moving.” I tapped a few more keys.

“Attention all hands. It’s getting crowded up here and we’re on the move. Brace for the bumps. Standby to retrieve the Flitter on a hot landing. Alexander out.” We slid out, and I throttled reverse thrust.

“Engineering. Let’s go fishing. Lock up that wreck, see if you can pull it off.”

“Aye Helm.”

“We have a lock. Engaging tractor beam now.” I watched as I felt the pull on the stern and slowed us.

“She won’t come Helm.”

“Lock the Tractor Beam. Helm pull it off.” Said my grandmother.

“Aye Captain.” I swung the bow around and backed down as close as I dared.

“Lock it up now and hold it.”

“On the hook. Go.” I nudged the Mains, and we took the strain. I nudged a little more, and it popped off. I spun the bow and headed for the pick up point.

“Reel it in. Hold it at 35 meters.”

“Got it. She was stuck, no problems moving it now.” I slid around the side of the asteroid. I tapped the Link as I slid the stern around.

“You know I find the damnedest things on rocks these days. You ready down there?” I heard a roar of laughter over the Link.

“Always running off to play in the rocks. Let’s go home.”

“Copy that. Move up to our shield perimeter. I’m as close as I want to get to this rock.”

“On our way.” I cocked my head.

“Who is this?”

“Adam Knight. I was pilot while my Dad ran scans.”

“I’m busy Marc. He can talk.” Replied my uncle Peter.

“They are approaching the Shield. 5 seconds.” Said the EO.

“EO drop shields.”

“Shields down Helm.”

“Shields down, here I come.” I said to the Flitter.

“Copy.” Said the voice. I backed down towards them with thrusters only.

“How bad is your dad? Can he hold for 15 minutes as I take us out of here?”

“He needs the Autodoc.” I held position as Peter lined up the docking port. I tapped out a message on Closed band 4927.528 and hit priority send.

“Understood. Is his condition life threatening at this time?” There was a pause for a few seconds as I saw the Flitter Dock.

“Raise shields.”

“Shields up,”

“No, he’s not that bad.” The voice said.

“Good. Buckle up. And sit tight. We are moving.” I tapped some more keys.

“Hang on people. Time to leave and I’m not sparing the fuel on this run.” I tapped the Link closed.

“EO 3nn ping forward aspect, every 1 sec now.”

“On yours.”

“Thanks.” The ship responded to me immediately and stood her on her tail as I brought the Mains up to 65 percent power and started to weave out of here.

“Grams, we’re going to need fire support. I can’t out fox them if I can’t cloak and I really don’t want to hang around here any longer.”

“That makes two of us. Ride it, rock runner. I’ll call in the big guns to cover us.”

“Thanks.” I was actually leaning in my seat trying to hold the pedals and use the force of my weight to will the ship to move in the direction I wanted with my body. I spotted a blip.

“Robert. Call out my targets.”

“Copy. Drones incoming from ahead. Not our problem. 5 kms behind us is when they can get a lock.”

“Oh, the joys of rock running.” Several snorts could be heard behind me. A roll here. A blast of landing thrusters there. A lean into the seat followed by a few ‘Craps’ A spin and dive, just for the fun of it.

“Rogue river ahead.” I leaned into the seat again.

“Get on the pedals and match my moves.” The feeling of someone else fighting my moves, then helping, could be felt through my legs. Every muscle seems to burn. I was getting tired and forgot to drink fluids. But. I never expected to need my favorite electrolyte drinks I usually use as I flew the roids.

“Splash one, but they lost half their drones to do it.”

“Where is the hostile now?”

“3 km off the port quarter, low.” I rolled the ship and flew around another asteroid as I contemplated.

“More drones coming down. 2 km and closing.” The warning tones sounded for weapons fire on the shields.

“Shit.” I tapped a key. “Brace, Brace, Brace. Lift going up.” I rolled and locked in my spot.

“Launch Counter Measures.” Barked my Grams.

“Aye Captain, Counter Measures away.” The Mains answered full throttle as I gave the Landing thrusters everything they had. Pulling back and depressing the pedals as hard as I could. The ship responded as I had hoped. We climbed hard, almost straight up horizontally. Everyone was pushed down hard enough that you could feel it. And we shook. My body thought I was getting a massage, the chair vibrated so much. I cut the Landing thrusters and pulled hard to port. Rolling ship to bring the Landing Thrusters into the position I wanted and fired them again at fifty percent as we turned. The warning tones again.

“Shit. Shit. Shit.” I spun over the top of an asteroid and dropped the Mains to All Back Full as we passed. Then rolled as we slowed. Throttling up to full ahead and hit the Afterburners.

“Now would be an awfully good time for them to nail this hostile.”

“Agreed.” came from behind me as I dove around another asteroid and spotted what I had come here for. A blip lit up my navigation screen. I tapped a few keys to lock it. As I pulled out onto a line. I smiled and tapped another key. The ship wide Comms came to life.

“Jump in One. One” And we Jumped.

“EO, please pass to the other ships. We are away. And I’m not coming back.” Grandma roared out a laugh before speaking.

“Attention all hands. We are out of the asteroid belt. We will maintain General Quarters until our rock runner tells me where we are. Armstrong out.” Grams spoke across the ship’s internal Comms system.

We settled back into Real Space. The faces on everyone as we emerged in an asteroid field were priceless. I slowed to 20 percent on the Mains, then brought us to a complete stop.

“EO. Keep a sharp eye out.”

“Umm. Helm, we have company.” A sad smile formed on my face.

“Yes…EO if you would be so kind as to Hail on Closed band 4927.528 Please announce Marc Alexander is dropping by to talk about rats in the roids.” My voice sounded heavyhearted.

“Aye Helm.”

“You have the Helm. All stop. Hold this position.” Mike looked at me for a minute before he turned back and took the controls.

“I have the Helm.”

“Thank you.” I slipped my seat back as I raised my hands to indicate I was hands off. As I turned my seat and my face shield turned transparent, letting my shoulders slump to face Grandma. A smile on her face. An unreadable look on mine.

“Friends of yours Marc.” I shrugged.

“Once upon a time. I hope we can be again.”

“Can we secure?” I nodded.

“Do I know who it is?” I nodded again.

“Captain, two ships just decloaked and have launched drones. Many drones.” I turned to look out the main armorplas view port. There she was. I certainly hope she’s happy to see me.

“Marc, you have a direct hail from Agamemnon.” I nodded as I blew air out my lips.

“Yeah.” I looked back up at Grandma. She knew who it was now, and she looked down at me with a thoughtful expression. My voice was very uncertain when I spoke next.

“EO. I’ll take it in my quarters.” Grandma nodded with an encouraging smile. She knew what could happen next. I just wish I did.

“Aye Marc” Grandma patted my shoulder as I passed and walked off the Bridge. Robert turn to the Captain.

“What’s going on?”

“Your cousin is doing what needs to be done, regardless of the cost to himself.” She sat back in her chair. “It’s too soon, though. I think.”

The passageway seemed longer now than it used to as I made my way to my cabin. I didn’t bother to take off my helmet as I sat in front of the screen. Just opened the face guard. I took a few breaths before I hit the accept button. There she was, and she didn’t look happy.

“Hello brother.” That saddened me.

“Hello sister. I am sorry for disturbing your operations here, but we needed help.”

“Understood. Is Grandma and Grandpa on board?” I nodded. She nodded in return. “Please give them my regards.”

“I will.” She let out a sigh.

“Marc. I never stopped loving you and at the end of the day, you were right. I understand that now. I am sorry for all the things I said.” I nodded.

“I’m sorry too Caitlin. For everything.” She looked away. I thought I saw a wetness in her eyes as she looked back.

“Do you need an escort out to the Jump Gate too?” I smiled.

“Yes, please. I would appreciate it.” I paused, wondering if I could talk to her. “Maybe we could get together over on 'Seventy-Seven in a few days. I would like to talk to you about some things. About us.” She took a few minutes before she answered.

“I don’t know Marc. I need more time and I would like to talk like this some more.” I nodded.

“I understand. Maybe I am just trying to forget everything that happened and go back to the way we were, but I know that’s not possible.” I saw a tear slide down her cheek.

“I’m sorry Marc. It’s just too soon.” And it was. I knew that deep down. I understood her pain.

“I love you too. When you’re ready, I’ll make time for you.” She nodded again.

“Just fall in behind us and I’ll lead you out.” I nodded.

“Fly safe Sis. Comm me sometime.”

“You too Marc and I’ll Comm. Love you brother.”

“Love you too, Caitlin.” And the Link closed.

I sat back and wiped the tears out of the corners of my eyes before I rose to get a drink of water. Then walked back to the Bridge with my face shield blacked out and so no one could see my face. Walking up to Grandma’s station and stopped.

“We are heading to the Jump Gate. Caitlin sends her regards.” I was just barely audible. She nodded and gripped my arm with one of her hands in a moment of support, then patted it. I moved to stand behind Mike and tapped his shoulder. He turned and looked up at me. I was the only person with my helmet still on. My face plate was still darkened out so nobody could see me. He slid back and moved out of the seat, while I sat in the seat and checked my station. I felt his hand on my shoulder. I reached up and patted it before I turned to Robert.

“I have the Helm.”

“You have the Helm.”

“Thank you. EO. Don’t record our course or scans for the logs and purge everything from when I said, ‘Jump,’ that brought us here. Also, purge all scans of Agamemnon and her consort.” There was a moment of silence.

“I concur EO” Grams added.

“Aye Captain.” We sat in silence for a few more moments. Grandma knew what I was doing and why. She had no choice but to agree with me. This was Alexander’s family business.

“Logs purged and recording is suspended.”

“Thank you.” My hands and feet guided the ship into its desired location. Then the Agamemnon pulled in her drones and we started to move. Time slowed as we made our way out of the asteroid belt and jumped to the Jump Gate. Thoughts of what was said, who said what to who, what happened afterwards. I was tired. I couldn’t change the past, but today I made the first step in healing those wounds in the future. I hope we can. I miss my big sister.

We closed on the station. “Requesting docking instructions Captain.” I heard Grandma calling the Station Control.

“Marc. We are cleared for B-3.”

“B-3 Aye.” I tapped it into my panel, and the location pip popped up on my charts. I took us around and down, lining up with the hanger before slowly proceeding in. I reached the point I wanted in the hangar and slid us closer to the dock. Engaging the docking clamps as well as the Lock, which made a load clank sound through the ship’s hull as it locked in place.

“Helm is through with propulsion systems. Lock and Docking clamps are deployed. Helm is ready to secure, Captain.”

“Thank you, Helm. You may secure.”

“Aye Captain.” I tapped out a quick message of thanks to Caitlin and sent it.

“Engineering secure the Mains and tell Engineering they may secure once they are shutdown.”

“Aye Captain.”

“EO, close the hanger doors please.”

“Aye Captain.” It continued and 30 minutes later I still sat in my seat looking out the armorplas view port across the top of the ship to the hanger wall with the viewing area ahead of us. I heard the Comms come to life in my helmet.

“We are guests tonight for dinner. You’re the star of this show. Will you join us?”

“I need some time please Grandma. I’ll eat in my cabin. Later.” There was silence.

“I think it would be better if you joined us. You need to meet these people. I understand the pain and loss between you and your sister. I feel for you Marc, but there are times when you command that you will have to rise up above the pain and anguish, putting on a smile and be happy even though your heart is tearing itself apart with grief. Can you handle that tonight, Captain Alexander?”

“I don’t know Captain Armstrong. I will try though. What time is dinner?”

“21:00 hours. Down on the Station. Robert and Mike are coming too as well as Peter. You can meet them at the Lock at 20:45 hrs and they can show you where the restaurant is. OK.” Taking a deep breath, I sighed.

“Yes Grandma.”

“You’ll do fine kid. I’ll see you tonight. And Marc.” She paused and her tone changed to a gentler sound.

“Your sister still loves you and I know you love her. You’ll both work this out in time.” That was all it took, and I broke down. The sobs racked my body with the pain that I felt. I felt Grams arms wrap around me, even in my armor. She held me until I cried myself out fifteen minutes later. Then she walked me back to my cabin, giving me one last hug.

“Go take a hot shower and change for dinner. I’ll see you tonight.”

I dragged myself into the cabin and took off my armor examining each piece, before I placed it in the gravtrunk on the charger. In a few hours my armor’s systems packs would be fully purged and charged. I placed my holster in its place and closed the lid. Pulling out a dress casual shipsuit with a new pair of boxers and ship tee. Adding my shiny silver stars on their tabs as well as all of my soft medals. Soft because they are bendable and form fitting to my chest as opposed to the Dress Medals, which were worn on my Dress Jacket and were hard medals. No bending, no form fitting. Can be plain uncomfortable sometimes but they definitely stand out better for an impression. I hopped into the fresher and let the hot water run across my body as the steam filled the cubicle. It felt so good. I didn’t want to clean off, just stand here all night, but decided I had better get a move on it. During the rinse cycle I thought I heard someone call my name. Shutting down the water just in time to hear the outer hatch close. Stepping out of the fresher to find someone had put a full Family Dress Uniform on my bed. I walked over and lifted it up to look at it. The Alexander’s had wore this type of uniform for 200 years here in the sector. It had all my medals, rank and showed my personage. It was a red dress ship suit, with a black Buckle Tailcoat with gold trim. Plenty of room for my Dress White Belt and the Needler if I wore my dress sidearm on my hip. I guess I need to get dressed up tonight. I wonder if I should wear my dress sidearm though.