"Okay, next order of business," began the Commander. "We have a
course correction to make. Thelma has just informed me that the sector
we
were originally supposed to pass through has just declared war with the
Apothecers-"
"Who are the Apothecers?" interrupted Suzee.
"A species we do not want to get involved with."
"Oh." Suzee looked over at Harlan, who just shrugged.
"I have decided that we should make a hyper-jump to Lladnek.
Somewhere in the Lladnek Galaxy is a large Star Dog operated space
station.
There we can replenish our fuel supply and make the necessary repairs to
the
hull of the ship and the heating system." He glanced over at Rosie who
was
sipping hot tea and still shivering.
"Meteor storm was a killer," Harlan murmured to Suzee, who yawned to
keep from grinning. She was freezing too, but the meteor storm was
definitely
worth it.
Bova cleared his throat. "How long are we going to stay there?"
"Only a couple of days. It'll be just enough time to repair the
Christa and regroup yourselves. Just by the way the meteor storm
incident
panned out, I'd say we need a break from this place."
Suzee elbowed Harlan who stifled a laugh. She knew he was itching to
get off the Christa as much as she was.
"Mr. Radu the coordinates need to be set for Lladnek and Suzee, I'll
need a print out of the Christa's fuel intake later."
Suzee nodded and tried to get serious. "Okay, Commander."
"I have one question," Ms. Davenport said nervously. "How can we be
sure that the residents of Lladnek are stranger friendly?"
"We'll be there for two days," Bova said. "That'll only give them 48
hours for them to kill us."
"Bova!" everyone cried.
"What?"
"Ms. Davenport, we can't always be one-hundred percent sure they
aren't going to try and kill us, but nothing is always one-hundred
percent
guaranteed."
Ms. Davenport considered this for a moment and then said in a sappy
voice, "Somehow I don't find that comforting, Commander."
The Commander turned his face away from her and grinned.
"Here, these were all Thelma found."
"Thanks Suzee." Rosie took the blankets from Suzee gratefully.
Suzee stood there, squirming for a minute. "Sorry about the meteors,
Rosie."
Rosie smiled. "That's okay. I'll live. So, what do you think this
place is going to be like?" Rosie asked Suzee as they readied for bed
that
night.
"I'm not sure, exactly." Suzee paused and smiled. "Cat just said
she's read an awful lot about it. She remembers hearing about the
construction and everything. Since it's Star Dog operated, it'll
probably be
a lot like Earth."
"Cool. Tell her I said thanks." Rosie pulled down the sheet and
hopped up into bed.
"She heard you." Suzee carefully placed her compu pad on the small
table next to her bed, then jumped up into bed herself. "I don't care
what
this palace is like, it just has to be more exciting than here."
"And warmer," Rosie added from under the million pounds of blankets.
"I thought you liked the Christa."
"I never said I didn't. But I think I need to get off it before I go
completely crazy!"
She ordered the lights shut off and stared at the dark walls. "I think
even
one day off the Christa will bring my mental status back to sane."
Rosie
giggled in the darkness.
"There's the station," the Commander announced after the well-planned
hyper jump to Lladnek.
"Should I open up communication with the security computer?" Rosie
asked.
"Yes, inform them that we are passing through to obtain supplies and
complete minor repairs. Use Star Dog code 977821." After Rosie relayed
the
message back to Lladnek, an image appeared on screen.
"Greetings Christa crew. I am Bost 10642, head security computer.
You are now in the midst of a scanning device that will detect any
harmful
substances. If you pass, you will obtain full security clearance."
"What happens if we don't pass?" Harlan asked.
"I will then be forced to blow you up into smithereens."
"Oh, well as long as we know we're welcome here," mumbled Harlan
sarcastically in response. The Commander shot him a LOOK.
"Congratulation, you have passed. Please proceed to Sector 14 where
you will find the docking bay. From there, ask for Lana. She will
provide
the bots to aid you with your repairs."
"Thank you," spoke the Commander as the screen went fuzzy. "Let's go."
"All right! Lladnek, here we come!" cried Harlan.
Harlan maneuvered the Christa alongside the docking bay in Sector 14.
"This place is weird," He mumbled to himself. He was definitely right.
Every building was dark and ships that normally buzzed around were
brought in
for the night. The whole place had a foreboding atmosphere to it.
"Commander, perhaps we should just find help somewhere else," Ms.
Davenport spoke up timidly.
"Nonsense. This place is perfectly harmless. Mr. Band, park the
Christa here and initiate tractor beam. Everyone, follow me." The crew
reluctantly left their posts and followed the Commander off the Christa
and
into the unknown.
The landing bay was deserted. Down the straight away, there were a
couple of run down buildings.
"Commander, I hear music coming from the far building over there,"
Radu informed them.
"Good, that's our spot then, come one."
"Hold it!" commanded a feminine voice behind them. The crew whirled
around to see four laser pistols pointed straight at them. The women
were all
dressed in black. With the exception of the bright Star Dog insignia
arm
band they wore. The masks prevented anyone from guessing who they were.
"Now what?" whispered a terrified Ms. Davenport.
"Whoa, listen," the Commander started to move forward.
"Hands up and don't move!" she said in a strong voice. "Who sent
you?" she demanded.
"No one sent us. We were granted full security clearance to dock
here to repair and refuel our ship."
"Granted permission from who?"
"The head security bot, Bost 106-oh-something."
"I wasn't informed." She jabbed her pistol into the Commander's back.
"Let's double check, shall we?" Her three other colleagues surrounded
the
remaining crew.
"Nothing ever is, sweetie," the woman said in a dry voice. "Keep them
here, I'll take him and see what's going on with Bost." The three
nodded.
"Come one," she sang sweetly as she held the laser to the Commander's
head.
The far building turned out to be Lladnek's most popular hangout.
Equipped with a bar and dance floor, hundreds of people came from the
far
ends of the Galaxy each night to relax and have fun. She led Commander
Goddard to a dingy room in the back. Four security guards stood in
front of
the door and waved them through.
She sat the Commander down roughly in a chair. "Are you a member of
the Apothecerian Fleet?"
He looked at her skeptically. "Do I look like a member of the
Apothecerian Fleet?"
"Oh, so you're smart and cute." She said sarcastically. Lana walked
over to the room's central computer. "Now, let's see if you're telling
the
truth. I need to know if any foreign ships were cleared for entrance
today,"
she told the computer. She turned back to the Commander. "So, who are
you
really?"
"Commander Seth Goddard, Star Dog and commander of the ship, the
Christa."
Lana turned her face to hid her shock. "The Christa?"
"Well, yes."
She paused to look at the computer results and calm herself down.
"Well, what do ya know? You are telling the truth." She flipped her
laser
back into the pouch on her hip. She propped her leather-clad leg on the
Commander's chair. "Sorry for the inconvenience." She turned her wrist
over
and spoke into the well-concealed radio. "Tora, it's Lana. They've been
cleared." As she lifted off the mask the Commander turned to look at the
Lana, who had so arrogantly taken him prisoner. She was only in her
late
twenties. Her long, paper straight hair was flipped back over her
shoulder.
"So you're Lana?"
"Okay, Lana says you're free to go," Tora said after hearing Lana's
radio message.
"About time," Harlan said glaring at them.
"Who's Lana? We were supposed to ask for her help," Suzee informed
them.
"Lana's the one who took your leader. She'll be out shortly."
"I apologize for any grief I have caused," Lana told the crew. "I
will lend you some of my finest bots to help repair your ship tomorrow.
For
now, I offer you shelter at my space station."
"Thank you," said the Commander gratefully.
"Your space station?" Suzee's eyes narrowed. "I thought it was Star
Dog operated."
"It is. I am a Star Dog. General Bodine put me in charge of this
space station years ago. It was originally supposed to be a peaceful
research and development station. But now we must fight for our lives."
"How so?"
"The Apothecers are always a big threat. They'd like nothing more
than to gain control of this space station."
The Commander looked into her eyes questioningly. "And what about the
Spung?"
Lana diverted her eyes away from his. "They are no longer a problem."
She cleared her throat. "Follow me."
The crew was given rooms in the old dorm across the station. It was
where many officers had stayed before. Before the station was attacked
by
the Apothecers.
"This place is cool," Rosie said admiring the old building.
"I think it's creepy," Bova responded.
"Bova, you think everything's creepy," said Suzee in disgust. She
looked to Rosie, "At least it's heated!"
"I agree with Bova. Commander, must we stay here?" Ms. Davenport
inquired.
"Would you rather stay on the Christa?"
Rosie shivered remembering that the heating vent was busted. "Good
point."
"It's settled then. Thelma can look after the Christa herself then.
it will be fine." The Commander tried to reassure his doubtful and
suspicious crew.
The night proved to be uneventful and the crew slept soundly. Suzee
awoke early. She found the smothering blankets pushed aside. "Jeez,
it's hot
in here." Then she glanced over at Rosie who was sleeping soundly and
warmly for the first night in three days. Ever since the meteor storm.
After
a cold shower, she dressed and ran a brush through her streaky hair.
She
managed to pull it back into a simple ponytail. She tiptoed out of the
room
and closed the door gently so as not to wake Rosie. As the door clicked
shut, someone came up from behind her. Suzee whirled around. "Harlan!
What
are you doing up?"
"I should ask you the same question," he answered grinning.
She took a deep breath. "I just want to get started on the repairs."
"Scared you, huh?"
"No!" Suzee swallowed hard. "Not really."
"Yes, I did. Come on, let's get this over with. This place is
creepy."
Suzee grabbed his arm. "Wait." She paused to look around. "Do you
think it's weird how Lana reacted when the Commander questioned her
about the
Spung?"
Harlan shrugged. "I don't know."
Suzee sighed in exasperation. "So, you didn't find anything strange
about her?"
"Maybe. She did sort of avoid the question."
"Do you think that this space station is just a cover for all the
bounty hunters of the universe?"
"Do you think the Commander would bring us here if it was?"
Pondering this question for a moment, Suzee began to wonder if she
was just imagining things.
"Tora, did you contact him?"
"Yes, I reached him just before four this morning."
Lana tilted her head back. "It's a shame..." She yawned. "I'm
getting some sleep. Our contact won't be pleased if I can't function in
three hours."
"Lana," Tora hesitated. "Is this really necessary?"
Lana gave her a hard look, but inside she melting. "Yes. I'm sorry
Tora. You know what he said. "
"I am sorry for saying so, but do you think you are being a little
selfish?"
"Selfish?" Lana cried, close to tears. "I'm being selfish? You go
give up your five year old daughter to the Spung and then see how easy
it is
live with yourself."
"Lana-"
"You think your life is so easy. No strings attached , right?"
"I'm sorry. Look, I love Sari almost as much as you do. But I can't
help wondering if maybe we shouldn't have made this bargain."
Lana rubbed her eyes and tried to swallow away her tears. "We're
getting her back tonight, Tora. After we hand over the crew of the
Christa
to Warlord Shank."
Harlan walked into the heater room with two coffees and a package of
freeze-dried cookies placed strategically on top of the cups. He found
Suzee
curled up in one of the heating vents trying to fix the problem. "Hey,
Suzee, want something to eat?"
"In a minute," she replied in monotone. "But, thanks, Harlan."
"Sure."
"Can you hand me the electronoscope?" Suzee asked rubbing her goggles
so that she could see.
"The wha?" replied a baffled Harlan.
"The electronoscope," she stated her hand waiting impatiently.
"Yeah...the what?" he shuffled through the box of tools.
"That blue thing with the silver handle."
"Oh, this." He handed her a silver thing with a blue handle.
Suzee looked at the tool in her hand. She jumped down and rummaged
around in Thelma's tool box herself. "No, this."
"Right. That was my next choice."
Suzee rolled her eyes and jumped back up to the heating vent.
Tora slapped a bunch of papers on the table. "Lana, these came for
you."
She looked up from her small computer. "Thanks, Tora. Warlord Shank
is scheduled to arrive within the hour. Have them ready."
"I will."
When Tora left, Lana took a deep breath. "This could get ugly," she
mumbled to herself.
"What could get ugly?"
Lana looked up startled to find the Commander standing in front of
her desk. "I didn't hear you come in."
