Book 2: Chapter 58: Table set

Book 2: Chapter 58: Table set

USD: Next Day

Location: Nu Crateris, Dedia IV Geostationary Orbit, Tears of Fire

Alex had put the Tears through a hard burn back to the orbital so they could oversee the unloading operations. While the freighters were armed and the GAIs capable enough of running them, they had still thought that having them approach the colonists fortifications was too much risk.

Especially with how much negative news was being pushed in the media on them. Thankfully, the people on Nucrateri station and outer population werent quite as tapped into the outright propaganda channels the people on the planet were subjected to.

It wasnt like there was an enormous crowd of people on the station clamoring for the rations, but the fear that the military would try to slip a special operation team onto one of the freighters and try to seize it was very valid in Alexs mind.

The hard burn had cost them a lot of propellant, though.

Which became a problem as she tried to negotiate with the Governor.

Governor Tyler, I would not have had to hard burn back to the planet if you had just accepted the food in the first place. The very least you can do is allow our shuttles to ferry back the fuel we need to top off as they deliver the food to the Elevator.

It was your choice to make such a maneuver, Captain. There was no need for you and your ship to return at such speed. The freighters could have unloaded without you.

I think the need for Tears to provide security is well demonstrated by the negative sentiment that your government has been throwing our way. Oh, and all the guns you have pointed at us.

You have over a dozen large caliber artillery pieces pointed at Dedia Prime. Scans have shown they are emitting specific radiation indexes that indicate they are nuclear in nature. Youre pointing nuclear weaponry at a civilian population.

Alex leaned back in her chair, her eyebrow twitching. Weve been over this already. Are we really going to go over this blame game again? I would rather go clean the sludge filters myself and it would be more productive.

The propellant is needed for other government operations. We cant spare it for you.

She felt anger building up like it usually did when she had spoken to anyone from the colony as of late. Sitting back up straight, she tried to maintain her composure by keeping her voice level.

Thats bullshit. You have a literal elevator to the surface. You have, literally, an A-Grav pipe that lets you pipe as much propellant as needed from the production facility on the ground. You can literally stick your straw in the ocean and spew the worlds water content out into space without making a blip on Primes power network!

The propellant is not free to produce. You cant just stick ocean water in your ship unless Federation thrusters are much more adaptable than I believe.

She probably could figure out how to make the Shrike run on seawater. Nameless definitely could. She didnt feel the need to correct the Governor on that.

Neither is food. We produced or purchased it at our own expense to bring to you and give away for free. I can take the Tears back to Nucrateri Station and refuel. You dont have the option to grow your own food. I will take it with me this time and then YOU can figure out how to get it transferred back. The people that starve between now and when you figure that out will be on your head, not mine.

The Governor let out a breath. Very well, Ms. Alex. We will allow shuttles to unload the food and provide you with propellant. At no time will your ships be allowed to approach the elevator or new construction, however.

USD: Later that day

Location: Nu Crateris, Dedia IV Geostationary Orbit, Tears of Fire, Eliss Room



Speaking with the Governor had put Alex in a bad mood. She had spent hours assisting Nameless in figuring out a safe method for allowing the manned Dedian shuttles onto the freighters safely.

It had involved stuffing them full of angry combat robots that were ready to shoot up the Dedians if they did any funny business.

The bots were angry because Alex had painted them. She had started with teeth and open mouths and worked her way up to red stripes and monster murals. By the end, she was just painting anything she thought might look scary on their chassis while Nameless had completed the organizing, production, and transfers to the two ships.

Feeling a bit better, Alex was walking down the corridor when she noticed that Eliss door was open. Elis was nowhere to be seen.

Suspecting a trap, Alex poked her head into the room and looked around. She didnt spot anything except one of the end tables was missing.

What did come to mind, however, sent her sneaking inside. Hyper aware for anything that might have looked out of place, she went snooping on impulse. She got about halfway into the room when Eliss voice erupted behind her.

What are you doing?

Alex dived behind Eliss desk before poking her head out. Realizing how silly she looked, she came out after a second. Umm. Looking for evidence.

Elis raised an eyebrow. Evidence of what?

Romance.

Elis continued to give her the look.

Alex swallowed. I saw you kiss Daniel.

Lavigne followed behind two Corpo guards, leading the new maintenance team of fifty men down through the ships guts to the environmental subsection. A smell of organic rot pervaded the entire area, and their captors had donned gas masks to dampen the smell.

It was bad enough that he doubted that measure even worked, bringing the inside of his elbow up to his nose.

Behind him, one of the NCOs spoke.

Wait any longer and I doubt we even could fix it.

Lavigne looked over his shoulder to look at the man, reading his name tag.

Petty Officer Morrison, can you take ten men and get the sludge filters clear?

The NCO winced. Thats a nasty job, Sir.

Lavigne nodded, Important, though. Even if we fix the rest of it, nothing will clear up as long as those are gunked.

Aye aye, sir. Morrison turned and grabbed a few men and began rounding them up.

One guard turned and stopped the party, glaring at Lavigne. Whatre you doing?

We cant fix things if we stay in one big group. We have to split up.

The other guard looked hesitant. Not enough of us to watch them all.

Not sure what you expected? I picked out the most reliable men, but the Captain wanted us to fix things and keep the ship operational, so thats what Im doing.

That seemed to mollify them.

Before Morrisons group left, Lavigne took him aside so the guards couldnt overhear him.

Morrison, I need you to install this override tap on EG-32s main line to LS. Lavigne pulled out a small device and put it in the NCOs hand.

Sir. Thats on the outside of the LS subsection.

Yes, but its close enough to the sludge filter area, just two bulks over.

Not sure we can make it there, and the goons probably shoot us if they see us out of the section.

Im not sure how, but we need this.

The older man took the override tap and stuffed it in a pocket. Ill see what I can do, sir.

As the group continued through the section, Lavigne continued to split up the group into smaller subsections as needed.

USD: The next day

Location: Nu Crateris, Dedia IV Geostationary Orbit, Tears of Fire, Eliss Room



Elis had woken up in the middle of the night, needing to pee. That need warred with the warm lump that was nestled on top of her arm and letting out funny little snores.

She reached over to gently stroke one of Alexs long locks of hair out from in front of her face and behind an ear. The younger girl let out a protesting noise as Elis shifted away slightly. Alex ended up holding onto her tighter.

When Alex had shown up to her room earlier and told her she wanted to sleep with her, Elis had been shocked. At least until she realized Alex meant actual sleeping, not anything else. Elis told herself she should have seen it coming. Alex loved to cuddle every chance she could get.

Elis had accepted her as a younger sister, without fully taking the time to contemplate it. She didnt regret it. They had come from two widely different places, and Alex was still learning as she went. Elis realized she was, too. For a while, they had only each other to rely on, but she hoped that would continue to change.

One thing was for sure, Alex was the only family she had left.

Just as Elis was about to finish her escape to the restroom, a klaxon sounded, blaring alarm.

|GENERAL QUARTERS|

|THIS IS NOT A DRILL|

|ACTION STATIONS|

[Informative: A fleet has been detected entering the system at the 92 Pegasi jump point. Initial Analysis reports: 1 Grazhdanin class, 1 Battleship-unknown, 6 cruisers-unknown, and 16 smaller warships.]