Shadows of the Ethereal - Part Four

      Evan felt himself being jerked back and forth for several moments before he realized that it was happening in reality, and not in his dream. Slowly he looked past the haze of sleep into the gray eyes of the blonde he had just been dreaming up. The fact that she had entered his dream bothered him more then her rude awakening behavior.
      “You could say wake up.” Evan snapped, as Nyree stood up.
      “I did, you all sleep like logs.” She turned to Dill and used her foot this time to shake him.
      Dill moaned for a while, and Nyree left him like that before making her rounds to the rest of the group. As Evan folded his blanket, he noticed that Nyree was back in her familiar black uniform with her utility belt and military issued boots. Her make-up from the previous day was gone, and her hair was in a tight braid. The woman they met yesterday was no longer with them, this was the one that had entered his ship.
      “Time to go!” She yelled loudly, causing anyone who wasn’t standing to spring up from their resting positions. Walking over to her five black bags by her door, she loaded herself up. When she was done, she looked at the Dirk, Main Frame, and Dill, who were still laying on the ground and couch with their eyes closed. “I am leaving now, anyone not with me when the Ethereal takes off, will be arrested and sent back to the Regime!”
      With that, she walked out of her quarters. Everyone hopped to, and ran down the hall after her. Even Dirk had trouble keeping up with her hurried strides, it was as if she was running away from something. Evan remembered scanning life forms and there being a population the size of a medium planet aboard, but the halls were never filled. They rarely passed anyone, and he wondered where most of the people were.
      Standing in front of the express elevator, Nyree dropped a couple of her bags to the ground while she waited.
      “Let me carry those for you.” Dill said, reaching down and picking up the two bags next to her feet.
      “Thank you.” Nyree watched him pick the bags up.
      “I’ll carry two as well.” Dirk took one from her hand and another off her shoulder, leaving her with one.
      “Thank you.”
      “I’ll take the last one.” Mitch reached through Dill and Evan, and snatched the last bag away.
      “Um, thank you.” Nyree looked confused for a moment, but turned back to the elevator.
      Dill, Dirk, and Mitch all grinned mischievously at Evan, who rolled his eyes as the elevator doors opened. Stepping inside, they fell silent as the elevator stopped at the next floor. When the doors open, Constance smiled at her friend, with four crew members behind her.
      “Nyree!” Constance arms opened wide and as she stepped in, she hugged her.
      Dawn’s short figure could barely be seen behind her. “This is your fault!” She snapped, when Constance stepped aside and Dawn got a clear view of Nyree.
      The elevator doors shut behind them, as Constance and her crew entered.
      “Sorry, Dawn. I didn’t mean…”
      Dawn shook her head and stomped her foot, “Five months, Nyree! Five!”
      It took Nyree a moment, but she saw that Dawn’s face was trying to hold back a grin.
      “Could be longer.” Nyree whispered with a smile.
      “Oh, it better not be!” Dawn looked at Nyree’s crew, “Damn, Nyree, you couldn’t of found any less reputable crewmates if they all had peg legs and eye patches.”
      Evan scowled, but Dirk laughed.
      Nyree smiled at Dawn, “Never hold anything back, do you?”
      She hugged Nyree, “I forgive you, this time. Next time, you better stand up for Constance and make sure she doesn’t have to go.”
      “I’ll do my best.”
      “Do better.” Dawn ordered, as the elevator doors opened, and they made their way to the docking bay.
      “Look at Nyree all professional looking in her black jumper.” Constance said, she and Dawn were walking with Nyree between them.
      “She’s so cute.” Dawn pinched her cheeks.
      “You two are getting on my nerves.” Nyree frowned playfully.
      “You almost have to take her seriously in that getup, but we know better, don’t we, Dawn?” Constance looked past Nyree to her wife.
      Nyree rolled her eyes as Dawn announced that she did know. They reached docking bay C45 and C46, and stopped to say their goodbyes in the large white hallway.
      “I’m going to miss you!” Dawn cried out and kissed Constance.
      “And we could of missed that.” Dill mumbled to Evan with a dirty grin playing on his lips.
      “I’m going to miss you too!” Dawn turned to Nyree, and hugged her. “But, I’m use to it.”
      “And here comes Prince Couldn’t Be More Pushy If He Tried.” Constance announced, seeing Grady running down the hall.
      “Really? I always thought his last name was Can’t Take A Hint.” Dawn retorted.
      “Be nice, both of you.” Nyree warned as Grady approached.
      “Glad I caught you, Nyree.” Grady said out of breath when he stopped in front of her.
      She rose an eyebrow, waiting to hear what he had to say.
      Dirk and Dill had made themselves comfortable by leaning against the bay door. Most of Constance’s crew had gone into their dock to prepare the ship.
      “What is it?” Nyree asked, when he didn’t say anything.
      He looked around at everyone and then dragged Nyree away by the shoulder, so that the others couldn’t hear him. “I wanted to say goodbye and that I love you.”
      She sighed, “You know that I don’t say goodbye, Grady. Now, I need to go.”
      “This is a dangerous mission, and I think you should say your goodbyes to me and to Atira, you might not come back.”
      Nyree crossed her arms, “Grady, I show my affection when I am here, not when I am leaving.”
      He threw his hands up, “I think it’s a mistake.”
      She frowned, “I have to go.” With that she spun around and headed back to the group, Constance and Dawn started blowing kisses at her.
      “What no goodbye kiss? No romantic, break your back, bending you backwards, but you don’t care cause it’s such a passionate goodbye kiss?” Dawn asked.
      “That was a little long winded, I thought you could do better then that.” Constance told her.
      “Ah, short notice.”
      Nyree rolled her eyes and turned to look at her group, “Let’s go.”
      Constance chuckled, “Serious Nyree is always fun.” She said as Nyree and her crew entered into their docking bay.

      Entering the ship through the exit ramp, Nyree told them to put the bags down by the entrance.
      “Good morning, Commander Sakeri. It’s been a while.” Aisac said.
      “Like two days, I’ve been gone from you longer then that before.” Nyree snapped, and then turned to the crew. “Alright, here are your assignments.”
      “We know what to do, we aren’t rookies.” Evan barked.
      Nyree glared at him and then continued, “Sparks, you have the engine room, do whatever you think needs to be done. Mitch, you need to organize the medical bay. Get familiar with it so in case there is an emergency, you are prepared. I’ve never used the medical bay on the ship, but they fully stock it every time I dock. So, you should have fresh medical supplies.”
      “Alright.” Mitch nodded.
      “Main Frame, I want you to take care of computers and get use to Aisac’s systems. If she goes out then we are flying with half a ship, and you need to get her back up.”
      “Are you sure that is wise, commander?” Aisac asked, “Does he have any formal training with AI systems?”
      Nyree sighed, “Don’t worry about it, Aisac. Dirk… you do, what you do.” Her eyes went to Dill after Dirk grinned, “Dill, you take navigations, that seemed to work out well last time. And Evan and I will be in the control pit.”
      “Like I said, we already know what to do.” Evan looked between his crewmates, “The only person you needed to inform of anything was Main Frame. Everyone else already knew their parts.”
      Nyree took a step forward so that she was right in front of him, he could feel her breath on his chin. “I like to be thorough, and may I remind you that we haven’t even left dock yet. I can still send you back to the Regime, Mister Braxton.”
      Evan scowled down at her, his arms crossed.
      “Let’s all remember who is in charge around here. This isn’t your little mini-cruise that you use to run. There are ranks, and guess what, I’m at the top… and you aren’t. As the only person in your crew to be in the military, I would think you would know that already.” With that Nyree took a step back, and looked around at everyone.
      Dill was almost certain that Evan was about to explode, and let Nyree hear it. But, he kept his cool, and remained silent while she finished speaking.
      “Any other questions?” Nyree asked, and no one responded, “Good, then let’s get to our jump hole.” She spun around and headed for the elevator, then stopped. “Main Frame, there is a console to Aisac’s systems in the engine room. You can use that instead of crowding Dill in navigations.”
      “Yes, ma’am.” Main Frame said it to amuse Evan, and it did. Nyree ignored his sarcasm, and entered into the elevator with the rest of the crew.
      When the elevator doors close, Main Frame turned to Sparks and smiled, “Looks like we are going to spend a lot of time together.”
      “So, it would seem.” She rolled her eyes, and walked into the engines room.

      Nyree sat down in the pilot’s chair and began to power up the ship. Evan was speaking to Dill through the com screen about the location of the jump hole.
      “It will take us to Republic space, why are we going there?” Dill asked.
      “Regime will expect us to enter through neutral space, the hunters will be waiting there. We need to go through Republic space to get to the Regime.” Nyree told him. “We will have to stop and talk to one of my contacts there to get the codes for the Republic to Regime gate.”
      Evan looked across the small control panel that divided the pilot’s section from the co-pilot’s area, he watched Nyree preparing the ship. His teeth grinded together as he thought about the way she had spoken to him in front of his crew, and decided he would speak to her later on the subject.
      “Aisac, open a comlink with the control booth.” Nyree ordered.
      “Link open.” Aisac responded.
      “Greetings, Ethereal. Please state your dock.” The woman responded.
      “Docking bay C forty five. We are ready to depart.” Nyree announced.
      “Docking bay doors opening, please keep your speed at min five until you are fifty kilometers away from the station.”
      “Rodger, Ethereal out.” Nyree clicked off the comlink as the dock doors began to open.
      When they were a safe distance away, Nyree ordered Aisac to go into Max 3 towards their destination. She, then, began to check the ships manifest to see what had been loaded onto her ship.
      “You got a minute?” Evan asked, when he was certain she wasn’t dealing with anything important.
      “Yeah?” She cocked her head to the side.
      Evan turned off Dill’s comlink to them, then leaned back in his chair, folding his arms. “This is my crew. I have spent years trying to earn their respect and trust. How you treated me downstairs in front of them was inexcusable.”
      He thought she was about to interrupt him, but she turned her chair to face him, and continued to wait.
      “I may not of been ranked a captain in the military, but they gave me the title. I think that’s a whole lot more honorable then some government telling me who to respect. If you want to yell at me like that again, then you take me aside out of their hearing range.”
      Nyree grinned, but tried not to show Evan that she was. He sounded almost certain that she would yell at him again. “Alright, I apologize.”
      Evan was taken back, he had expected an argument, and for her to give excuses why it was alright for him to be treated in such a manner. After all, he had been nothing but rude to her since he met her.
      “You are right. They respect you, and even if I consider myself of higher command, I shouldn’t be yelling at you in front of them. I wouldn’t do it to an actual officer below me, and I shouldn’t do it to you. However, I do believe that your hostile attitude is what brought me to that.” Nyree leaned back in her chair. “You show me my due respect, and I will give it right back. We will use the old reap what you sow tactic.”
      Evan nodded, “Fair enough.”
      Leaning forward, she held out her hand to shake his. Her slender wrist reaching over the divider panel, causing Evan to look up from the floor at the well cared for finger nails.
      “I am not shaking your hand.”
      Nyree sighed, and turned back to the control panel. “Well, we are off to a great start.”
      Evan cocked his head to the side to watch her finish whatever she was doing. When she was done, she stood from her seat and left him alone in the control pit. After several long moments, the door opened again, and he heard the heavy footsteps he was accustom to Dill making.
      “You shut me off.” Dill chuckled, throwing himself into the pilot’s chair. “Had to make a move on her, didn’t you?”
      Evan glared at him, and crossed his arms. “I had to discuss an important issue with her. You and the rest of the crew need to get your minds on the matter at hand. We are getting ourselves into something very dangerous.”
      “Maybe if you let us stop to relax in last five years, we would be.” Dill turned the chair to look over the flat panel.
      “Relax? You mean buy prostitutes.”
      “Whatever gets your rocks off.” He ran his hand over the soft texture of the panel, “This ship is amazing. It makes me realize what a piece of junk we were flying. Did you see how few hits we took before we crashed? This ship took three times as many and still had more shield strength then ours did.”
      “Yeah, it’s a nice ship. Still doesn’t change the fact of why we are in it. Or need I remind you that she took us prisoners and that Sahale will be looking for us. Especially when he finds our ship abandoned and destroyed.” Evan sighed loudly, when Dill ignored him and continued to look over the panel.
      “She really got you fired up earlier. I thought you were about to hit her.” Dill finally said after leaning back in the chair.
      “Had she been a man, I would have.”
      Dill grinned and shook his head, “Never seen someone get you so upset before. You are normally a pretty calm person… well, except around bounty hunters and when we are under attack.”
      Evan ran his fingers through his hair, “She rubs me the wrong way. Can’t put my finger on it, but she annoys the hell out of me.”
      Dill nodded, “The rest of us like her. I think you just have her built up as dark and sinister in your mind, because of your paranoia about her before.”
      “My paranoia turned out to be well founded, after all, look where we are.” Evan raised his hands up to show off the ship.
      “Dead. At least, that’s what she will tell the world, and then we all get to start a new life. No longer Sahale’s slaves.”
      “We wouldn’t be his slaves in a few more years.”
      Dill snorted loudly, “Sahale will always find a way to make us owe him more. I mean come on, Evan. The first year should of paid him off for everyone but Dirk, Sparks, and Mitch. He found ways to charge us, and by the end of the first year we owed him more then what we did in the beginning.”
      Evan slowly nodded his head.
      “I don’t like it anymore then you do, Evan. But our backs are against the wall, we either help this libby or we get executed as traitors by the Regime.”
      “Either way we are traitors, but at least being handed over to them, we would die without actually betraying.”
      “None of us want to die, yet.” Dill stood from the chair, “I don’t know what happen to you to make you hate your own life so much, but some of us enjoying living. I think you need to find something that makes you want to see another day as well.” He tapped Evan’s shoulder.
      “Another day? Another day of this shit that we live? Why the hell would I want to see it?”
      Dill stood in the doorway, and looked over his shoulder at his friend, “Because you are alive, and you have a will to keep it that way. That’s normal, Evan, that’s sane. Now, find your sanity in something, because you are going to end up dead and your life isn’t even half way over yet.”

      The ship slowed it’s speed as it neared the jump hole, which was actually a slang term for partial accelerator. The large circular metal device remained still in space, it twisted and turned as ships entered through the center. A bright flash of blue and white light and the ship was gone. The Partial Accelerator didn’t just make ships go faster, it actually broke up the particals of the ships and sent them to another device that would reshape them.
      A person and ship would feel and look the same to those inside it, but could not be seen and other ships could pass safely threw it’s broken down particals. This made space travel much faster, as it was like sending radio waves through space that were going faster then the speed of light. A journey that would normally take four to five months, could take three hours using the jump hole.
      There had been accidents in the past, but the jumps hole were much safer then they once were. Though occasionally the receiving jump hole would malfunction and the crew would find themselves on the outside of their ship. It was why, space suits were always worn when using them, and there were warp hole station centers nearby to pick up any failed re-compositions.
      “Please, wear a space suit when using the warp holes.” The soft mechanical voice repeated over the comlink. “Please, be patient and an attendant will be with you shortly.”
      “Uh, I wish they would turn this thing off.” Nyree mumbled through the helmet of her suit.
      All the suits were white with black stripes, they were large and clunky, but the best defense against the hazards of space. She was having a tough time, placing commands through the control panel with the large gloves.
      “Welcome, Mynick Transport Fourteen, to warp station fifty six. Please enter your receiving warp hole code now.” The male voice broke through the mechanical repeated warning.
      Nyree hated to hear her ship being called anything but the Ethereal, but it was best if they were under cover. The codes that they received were a Republic transport ship that crashed in Liberation space three years before. The Republic knew it left it’s space and headed into the Liberation against their laws, and therefore allowed it to become property of the Liberation, when it was captured.
      Nyree placed in her codes.
      “You have chosen warp hole sixty two in Republic Space, is this correct?”
      “Yes.” Nyree announced.
      “Warp Station sixty two is receiving your request now.” There was a pause, “You have been authorized. Have a safe journey.”
      Their ship approached the jump hole at min 5, and it began to turn and twist, it’s center flashing with blue and white. Evan hated using jump holes, that was why he rarely left Regime space. There were too many horror stories surrounding them to be safe.
      He felt himself lurch forward and then backwards when they entered into the circle. Looking out the front pane, he couldn’t make out any stars, it was just blackness.
      “I hate these things.” He told Nyree, then realized the comlink in his helmet wasn’t on, when she didn’t respond. Tapping the side of his helmet it turned itself on, “I hate these things.”
      “The space suit?” She asked.
      “Yeah, those too. But the jump holes more. I never know if I am going to have a arm growing out of my forehead when we are finally put back together.” He heard Nyree chuckle, and it brought a smile to his face. Luckily, the mask on his helmet didn’t allow anyone to see inside.
      “I use them all the time, and I’ve never come out with anything wrong.”
      “You have cybernetic parts.” He retorted.
      He heard her chuckle again, “Not from the jump holes and not by choice either.”
      “Oh, where you in an accident?”
      “Yes, you could say that.”
      Evan wasn’t sure how far she would let him dip into this conversation, but decided to try a few other questions. “So, I know you have a cybernetic brain and arm, anything else?”
      “My brain isn’t entirely electronic, only a fourth. Which I am the only person to have that large of a cybo-brain.”
      He chuckled at her term for it.
      “My right arm and my right leg… and the right side of my brain and face.”
      “Must have been one hell of an accident.” Evan responded, “When did it happen?”
      She shrugged and then leaned back in her chair to think, “About eight years ago.”
      “Wait, you had a kid like that?”
      Nyree laughed, “Yeah, all my equipment for having children is still intact.”
      He blushed.
      “What about you? Tell me something about yourself.”
      Looking back from the front pane, he looked across the divider, “You seem to know enough already.”
      “True, but it’s a different story to hear it from you, then reading it off reports. Somehow, they never capture the person’s side of the story.”
      “I was born on Rasanon, it’s a moon of…”
      “Amayon. Yes, I know, that’s where I am from.”
      He rose an eyebrow, “You are from Regime space?”
      “Yeah, does that surprise you?”
      “A little.” He paused before asking his next question, “How did you end up a libby?”
      “Same thing that got me my cybernetic parts.”
      He waited for her to say more, but she seemed content with her answer. “Bad memories?”
      “You get your face, arm, and leg blown off and tell me.”
      “Fair enough.” He turned his chair to look out at the blackness. “I wouldn’t kill this woman and her child.”
      Nyree turned her head, “What?”
      “The reason I got a dishonorable discharge. We were attacking the moon of Orabix Five, it was filled with Liberation civilians, mostly.”
      “Yes, I remember when the Regime took it back.”
      He cocked his head to look at her, “Kill anyone not dressed in Regime uniforms were my orders. This woman was huddled in the corner covering her five month old son, and I refused to kill them. They had me arrested and tried with minor traitor charges, I did three years in the brig and then they let me go.”
      “And that’s the government you stand behind?”
      He frowned, “It was a bad lot of people, it’s not the government that’s corrupt.” She didn’t respond, “What does it say in my file?”
      “Says you refused an order and assisted a detainee in an escape.”
      He nodded, “She did get away, or at least, she got onto one of the escape pods. I don’t know if she managed to break free of the block in space.”
      “At least, you know what you did was right.”
      “Yeah, that got me somewhere didn’t it? Criminal with bounty on my head, working with other criminals for a criminal, against our will. I was a top pilot and solider in the military.”
      Nyree wondered why he was telling her this, it was like as if he suddenly wanted to confess to someone. “I was in the Regime military as well.”
      That caught his attention.
      “Remember when Amayon was attacked by Liberation soldiers like twenty years ago?”
      “Yes, I was fourteen when it happened. I wanted to join the military then, but my mother wouldn’t sign custody over to the Regime military.”
      Nyree nodded, “I was seven, and afterwards I had no mother to sign me over. The Regime placed me as a ward to the military and I began my training then. So did my five brothers and sisters. We watched these men come into our home and kill our parents.”
      “I’m sorry.”
      “Don’t you ever think about the strange circumstances behind that attack? Amayon is in the middle of Regime territory, and a fleet of Liberation ships packed with soldiers just flies in and kills every adult on the planet, leaving the children behind. Then suddenly, they just leave and deny ever being there, and the Regime comes in and takes all the children for it’s military.”
      “Are you trying to say that you think the Regime sent an army to destroy the entire population of a planet? That’s ridiculous.”
      She shook her head, “No, I am saying that they came and killed all the adults, so they could brain wash the children in the military. People who didn’t join at an early age back then were more likely to try to join the Liberation. Even now millions of people sneak into Liberation space to start a new life.”
      “I don’t believe that.”
      She shrugged, “If you think about it, you might see some flaws in their stories. That’s all I am trying to say.”
      “Either way, I’m sorry you had to go through that.”
      Nyree smiled even though he couldn’t see it, “Well, had I not, I might still be living on Amayon as a nobody, still believing the Regime are a decent government to live under.”
      “Oh, and the terrorist group you work for now is?”
      Nyree laughed, “I see there is no changing your mind, Evan. Maybe, someday when this is all over, we can have a drink together and argue about it. But right now, we will focus on the task at hand.”
      “As long as you’re buying.” He joked.
      “Of course, you are my guest after all.” Standing up, Nyree headed towards the exit. “I’m going to lay down for a while.”

      Main Frame bent over Aisac’s console to hold his stomach for a moment. The large console took up most of the wall to the right of the entrance. Behind him were the sounds of a working, powerful ship’s engine. It was the largest one that he had ever seen, and Sparks still couldn’t get over how perfectly built it was. Ideas that she had sworn she had come up with had been implemented into it’s design to make it more efficient and to bring the ship to almost unheard of speed without using too much power.
      The engine room had a red glow as the crystals used to power the ship didn’t take well to white light. The planet they grew on had a red sun, and would only hold their power through UV rays of that sun or in this case artificial lighting that projected the same type of rays.
      “You alright?” Sparks asked, when she looked between the small holes of the cat walk above him and saw him leaning over the console.
      “Yeah, we must of gone through the jump hole. Always makes me sick to my stomach.”
      They were both in the same type of space suit, and Sparks had complained that she couldn’t do half the work she wanted with it on. Nyree had insisted that they wear it, and to Spark’s utter surprise, Evan had backed up her decision. There engine was in perfect condition and there wasn’t much for her to do, but she did want to get a full understanding of the complicated system.
      “How long do you think this will last?” Main Frame said.
      “Evan said two hours.” She walked through the narrow cat walk and down the ladder to stand next to him. Gently, she rubbed his back trying to help sooth his stomach. “Really that bad, huh?”
      “Some people just don’t take to them all that well… and I am one of them.”
      “Why don’t I take you to your cot so you can lay down for a while? Nothing vital needs to be done in here right now, anyway.”
      He nodded his head, and they began their way out into the hall and across it to the crew’s quarters.
      The quarters had four sets of bunk beds welded to the walls, giving them enough room for a crew of eight. In the back was a doorway that lead to showers, one marked for women and the other for men. There was a tub and four shower heads in each one, she had made certain to check that for herself. There was also a small entertainment console near the entrance, but she knew that the crew would use the larger one upstairs in the dinning area.
      Sparks laid him down on the bed that she remembered Main Frame calling as his own. He rolled over with his back facing her after giving a quick thank you to her.
      Standing up, she decided to go search out her brother and tell him about Main Frame, but when she reached the door, she heard him say her name.
      “Yeah?” She turned to face him, his arm dangled off the bed to the floor.
      “We should tell them.” His words were almost whispered.
      Sparks frowned, “Gene, this may not be the Adumbrate, but it’s still the same crew. Evan’s rules still apply.”
      He shook his head, “I don’t think he’ll care. Besides, what will happen if we ever want to get married or…”
      “That’s not an issue right now, Gene. The captain’s rules are meant to be followed, and if he found out we broke them…”
      “Jasmine, don’t give me that. Do not act like you are afraid of how Evan will react. This is about Mitch, isn’t it?”
      “Yeah, it’s about my brother too. This isn’t the time of the place for us to have a relationship, and I don’t want to hear that speech from him again. We just have to keep it under the radar until we are done with all this, like we planned before.”
      He sighed loudly, “This is ridiculous, I am sick of running around behind everyone’s back. It’s been four years since Evan made that rule. Besides I think he only made it, because Dirk and I fought. Dirk doesn’t want you anymore, it’ll be…”
      “Hey, what’s going on?” Mitch walked into the quarters, a bottle of pills in his hand.
      “What are you doing down here?” Sparks asked.
      “Thought Main Frame would like something to settle his stomach.” He winked at Main Frame, and held up the bottle of strong pain killers.
      “Thanks, you’re a life saver.” Main Frame held out his hand and caught the bottle that Mitch tossed at him.
      “Make sure you take them real quick though, you don’t want to have your helmet off when we are re-composed. And they will probably knock you out for an hour or two.” Mitch warned, and then looked over at his sister.
      He had stood outside the door for a while and listened in on their conversation. He hadn’t meant to but he thought he heard Main Frame mention something about marriage. The door was thick and had muffled most of what they said, but it had been enough to plant a seed of suspicion in his mind.

      “Re-composition in five minutes.” Aisac’s voice announced throughout the entire ship.
      Nyree shot up from her bed, she hadn’t been sleeping instead she just needed some time alone. She was use to being the only person on her ship, and it seemed where ever she turned there was another person now. It hadn’t even been one day, but she was already getting annoyed. Trying to remember that it wasn’t their fault that they were on her ship, she had decided to escape to her room. Even after her rather civil conversation with Evan, she had wanted to grab a snack from the kitchen and found Dirk digging through their food storage.
      He had eaten a good amount already, and Nyree had to order Aisac to lock the kitchen except during regular meal times. In an effort to get his mind off food, she sent him down to the storage room to check to make sure the ships manifest was correct and to organize them properly.
      “Re-composition in three minutes.” Aisac voice echoed throughout the hall as Nyree stepped out of her room.
      Main Frame had just left his quarters and was heading back to Aisac’s console. He looked green through his see through mask, and Nyree grinned. She had heard that there were a few people that couldn’t handle the jump holes change to their bodies, but she had never met one before. In the military it was considered a weakness.
      Stepping into the elevator, she made her way to the mapping room, and then into the control pit. Evan was sitting in the co-pilot’s chair with Dill standing directly behind him.
      “Can’t take the jump holes either?” Dill questioned her after hearing that she had gone to lay down shortly after their entered the hole.
      “I can handle them just fine, thank you. I wanted to be alone and read for a while. I am not use to so many people aboard my ship.” She snapped and sat down in her chair.
      “Re-composition in less then one minute.”
      Dill chuckled, obviously not believing her excuse, neither did Evan.
      Nyree didn’t care what they thought, and just began her preparations for their entry into Republic space. “Go sit down.” She ordered Dill, when Aisac began the thirty second count down.
      Dill left the room to sit down in the navigations control room. The screen came up between them when he was settled in. “Where are we going after this?” He asked.
      “My contact is on the warp station.” Nyree answered.
      Her stomach lurched forward as they began their re-composition, the large tube-like warp station appeared in front of them.
      “Welcome Mynick Transport Fourteen.” A soft male voice said. “This is Warp Station Sixty Two.”
      Nyree hoped they wouldn’t check the ship’s history and discover that the ship had been placed as Liberation property. “Requesting permission to dock.”
      “Processing your request.” There was a long pause, and Nyree sighed, “Docking bay F eighteen is currently open and accepting ships of your size. Please keep your ship at Min 4 while approaching.”
      “Rodger, Eth… Mynick Transport Fourteen out.” Nyree switched off the comlink.
      “Almost gave us away.” Dill teased.
      Nyree ignored him, “Aisac, dock us. I need to speak with the crew.”
      “Preparing to dock, and announcing a meeting in the mapping room.” Aisac told her.
      Nyree, Evan, and Dill made their way into the mapping room as Nyree sat on her stool, Main Frame and Sparks came off the elevator. Dirk wasn’t far behind him, and Mitch was the last to show coming from the medical bay.
      “Take out your data pads, please.” Nyree said as she pulled out her own. “My pad code is N E S four three seven seven eight nine. Please, send your account codes to mine.”
      “What for?” Evan wasn’t about to give this woman access to his pad account. All of his money was under that code.
      “Just do it.” Nyree growled, when she received all the codes, she accessed her own account. Everyone’s pad’s beeped, telling their owners that they receive money. “I’ve given you each a thousand capitols. After we dock, we will go our separate ways and meet back at the ship in three hours.”
      Dirk grinned at Dill, “I wonder where the cantina is.”
      “Do whatever you want.” Nyree interrupted before Dill could answer, “Just remember if you aren’t on time that I am leaving without you and informing the warp station that Regime traitors are aboard their ship.” She stood from her stool, when she felt the ship land.
      “Where are you going?” Evan asked.
      “To meet with my contact.”
      “I have a rule, no one is without a partner. We separate in groups no less then two.” Evan told her.
      “I have a rule too. I work alone.”
      Standing up, he stood in her way to the elevator. “Look, I don’t trust you, and I want to hear what your contact says. I am going with you, whether you like it or not.”
      Nyree grinned, “Alright, but you keep your mouth shut and let me do the talking.”
      “Evan keep his mouth shut?” Dill laughed.
      She looked back at the crew, “Three hours, if you aren’t here, you get left behind. Are we clear?”
      Everyone nodded their heads or announced that they understood.
      “Let’s go, Fido.” Nyree walked past Evan and entered the elevator.
      “Sparks and I are going to get a drink and talk about the ship.” Main Frame told them as he stood from his stool.
      Suddenly Sparks and Main Frame felt the thin arms of her brother around their shoulders, “I think I will come with you. Evan’s rules, ya know, no less then two. I am not going with Dirk and Dill, I am not interested in the same stuff they are.” Mitch began to walk them towards the elevator.
      Main Frame glared past Mitch to his sister, who shrugged her shoulders.

      Nyree put on a long brown over coat to cover up her jump suit, and took out her braid, pulling it up into a ponytail. When she exited her room, she could see the question forming on Evan’s lips, who was waiting for her by the exit ramp.
      “What is that?”
      “Camouflage.” Nyree answered with a smile, “I am a wanted criminal in Regime space, and the Republic would be more then happy to hand me over. Especially since the Regime has begun to question their loyalty to them.”
      He gave a sharp nod, “What about the rest of us?”
      She shrugged, “You are from the Regime, aren’t you? Besides, the rest of the crew already looks like miscreants anyway. They wouldn’t even give them a second glance.”
      He looked over his dark blue pants and brown jacket, before following behind her down the ramp. He didn’t think he looked like a miscreant.
      There was a man standing by the exit doors with Dill and Dirk. They both turned to her as she approached, Dirk held a look of annoyance on his face.
      “Something the matter?” Nyree asked the strange man, he wore the familiar brown and gray jumper of a Republic soldier.
      “No, ma’am. But we have been forced to collect a docking fee recently. New orders from the higher ups, you understand?”
      Nyree nodded, “Of course, these are times of trouble. The Republic needs all the funds it can get.”
      The soldier grinned, “Yes, ma’am. I am glad that you understand. Some people are as patriotic.”
      “How much is the fee?”
      “Two hundred capitals.” He swallowed after he spoke, it wasn’t a large amount but Nyree could see why some people were upset by it. “It’s that much because of the size of your ship.”
      She nodded, “Code or swipe?” She asked, pulling out her data pad.
      There was a small chip embedding at the end of every data pad that could be used to swipe a payment instead of telling someone their code. It was a safety precaution, but only businesses really used them. Two people trading money would almost always use the code, as the swiping devices were expensive.
      “Swipe.” He held out the small palm size device with a slit through it’s center.
      Nyree put in an exchange for two hundred caps, and then pulled her data chip out. It clicked into place when it was extended out as far as it could be. She ran it through the slit and the swiping device made a satisfying beep.
      “Thank you.” He told her, “Oh, I almost forgot that it’s only for a day.”
      She nodded, “Alright, we’ll we will be out of here soon and you can continue your collections.” With a smile, she brushed past him and out into the hall.
      “Where is the cantina?” Dirk asked with Dill right behind him.
      “What kind are you looking for?” Nyree turned to face him, and Evan nearly tripped over her.
      Dirk gave her a look that told her that was a stupid question.
      “Twenty eighth floor. Stay away from Galactic Gardenia, I’ve heard horror stories about her.”
      “Sounds like my type of woman!” Dirk twisted around to head for the elevator.
      Nyree watched the two men leave, and then turned her head to Evan. “His kind of woman until he’s laying in the medical bay with Ternisian blisters.” With that she spun around and headed down the hall. Leaving Evan unsure if he wanted to continue on with her or run to Dirk and warn him.
      Evan caught up with Nyree, who seemed content to have left him behind. She even had the nerve to sigh when he stood next to her in front of the elevator doors. The warp station was crowded compared to the space station they had previously occupied.
      “Go to the cantina if you aren’t going to keep up.” She mumbled to him, and he responded with a deep scowl.
      The doors opened and Nyree asked for deck thirteen while the rest of the elevator filled. They packed themselves into the elevator, and Evan found himself stuck in a corner with Nyree pressed against him. Two large officers stood in front of her, and continued to try to make room for more people.
      She gave Evan a look that told him that she didn’t believe this. It made him grin to see Nyree out of her element. She wasn’t the big commander here, only a simple civilian, who couldn’t order some of the people off the elevator. Stepping to the side, her shoulder brushed against his chest, opening his jacket slightly. He tried to bring his hand up to close the jacket, but found them trapped.
      “Deck thirteen.” The mechanical voice said.
      “Excuse me.” Nyree fought her way through the compact crowd, and out the elevator. She turned to wait for Evan to exit, but he was having trouble getting through the crowd.
      The elevator doors shut just before Evan made his way to the front, and the compact group moaned in annoyance. “Hey, maybe, you shouldn’t pack yourselves in here like this and people could get out!” He snapped at a woman who rolled her eyes at him. “Deck thirteen!” He yelled at the elevator that asked if there were any new floors.
      This time around, Evan refused to give up his front spot to anyone that entered the elevator. After ten minutes, he wondered if Nyree would even be waiting for him, he had some serious doubts that she would be. With a shrug, he decided that he would join Dirk and Dill at the cantina if he couldn’t find her.
      “Deck thirteen.” The mechanical voice was music to his eyes.
      The doors slide open and there Nyree stood with her arms folded, and a look of annoyance plastered on her face. Evan stepped out of the elevator along with two others they had picked up the second time around.
      “Have a good ride?” She asked, before heading down the hall. “This is why I meet my contacts alone.”
      “I tried to get out, the doors closed on me!” He barked, chasing after her down the hall.

      Sparks looked across the table at Main Frame who was sipping the gold liquid from a mug. They had chosen a booth and Mitch sat between them, even when Sparks had gotten in first. He made up some excuse about wanting to be able to sit next to both of them. She knew when her brother was acting strangely, and something was amiss she just didn’t know what.
      The cantina was so crowded that they couldn’t make out Dill and Dirk across the room. Both men had taken a stool near the stage so they could pick up a woman to accompany them for the next couple of hours. Dill had tried to encourage Mitch to join them, but he politely refused, sticking to his sister’s side.
      “That’s some engine.” Main Frame said, trying to get Mitch’s glare off of him and onto his sister.
      “Yeah, those crystals are the largest that I’ve ever seen. I heard that Rewam has an amazing crystal field, it was a planet that helped bring the Regime to power. No wonder crystals are so expensive in Regime space though, the loss of that planet would hurt any government.” Sparks answered back, and Mitch looked between them as they spoke.
      Main Frame swallowed down some more of his Furnarius Ale, “Never seen blue crystals that needed red light before either.”
      She nodded, “Me either.” Tapping her finger on the table, she stared down at it’s smooth surface. “Aisac’s system seems… complicated.”
      “Yeah… it is.” Main Frame responded. “It will take me a long time to learn to use that system properly.”
      “I hope we don’t run into any trouble until you have it figured out.” Mitch interrupted.
      “I am sure we will. Trouble is never far behind us.” Sparks drank her light yellow wine from her glass. “Was sure nice of Nyree to give us a thousand caps each.”
      “Yeah, I thought we would have to wait in the ship. That’s what Evan always did.” Main Frame began to thump the table along with Sparks.
      “I am shocked that Evan didn’t argue that point to her. He hates leaving the ship alone, always wants to be able to take off immediately.” Mitch was trying not to grin as he watched his suspicions being proven.
      Sparks looked up at him, “You’re right. I didn’t think about that. And I thought he hated her, why didn’t he send Dill with her instead?”
      “You know the Capt’n, always wants to do things himself. Probably thinks he’ll get some top secret information that he can sell.” Main Frame snorted, “That’s all he ever thinks about.”
      Mitch chuckled, “Yeah, that’s why its been what four… five years since the last time we saw the inside of a cantina.” He turned his eyes to Main Frame, “You should go hire one of the girls here. I bet you have an itch in your pants.”
      He shook his head, “I’m fine, thanks.”
      “No, don’t feel like you need to hide it, Main Frame. Sparks and I both know…”
      “Why don’t you go hire one, Mitch?” Main Frame snapped.
      “Ok, that’s enough out of both of you.” Sparks stood up, “I need to use the restroom.”
      When she had walked far enough away from the table, Mitch leaned in towards Main Frame, and wrapped his arm around his shoulders. “Stay away from my sister.” He mumbled.
      Looking over at him, Main Frame frowned, “What? Why?”
      He said no more just turned his eyes towards the crowds of people shoving past between their booth and the bar. Main Frame watched him for a moment, trying to decided if Mitch really knew or if it was guess work. What would he do anyway? Evan wouldn’t let them fight each other, and it was not as if Evan could kick him out either.

      “I’m going with a red head.” Dirk told the small man beside him.
      Dill looked at the line of woman waiting for him to pick them out. They all danced on stage, but customers could choose from them after each performance. He looked down the line of thirty women of all different sizes and colors.
      “Think I’ll take a red head too.” He told the man who was waiting for their orders.
      The dark haired man nodded and smiled, then turned to the women, “If you don’t got red hair get ready to go back on stage.” He snapped.
      The line was lowered down to eight women. Dirk pointed to the woman with the curled hair and pink dress. “Her.”
      “Star Shine, you are with the large gentleman.” The man told her.
      She immediately walked across the red carpet and took Dirk by the crook of his arm. “Come with me.” She kissed him gently on the cheek, then smiled seductively. “What’s your name?”
      Dill heard him answer as they disappeared down the hall to the left.
      “And you, sir?”
      Dill looked over the women, “Her.” He pointed to the woman in a white dress and heels.
      “Ah, Moonlight. A customer favorite.” The man told him, before waving her over.
      “Hi, sweetheart.” Moonlight’s pale blue eyes shined as she took him by the arm. “My name is Moonlight, but you can call me whatever you want.” She explained as they walked down the hall, “I have a few rules, but hopefully nothing that will get in the way of our fun.”
      Dill swallowed as she unlocked the door that had her name plastered on it. He saw Star Shine’s room was across from Moonlight’s.
      The room was decorated in whites and grays, even the heart shaped head board of her king sized bed.
      “Are you into anything kinky, hun?” She walked over to the closest and opened it, revealing a large collection of torture devices. “If you are then this is where the rules come in.”
      Dill shook his head, “Ah, no.” He shivered at the mere thought of any of the contraptions being used on him.
      Moonlight smiled as she shut the closest door, “A little nervous? Your first time with a cantina girl?” Walking over to the bed, she sat down at the edge, and patted it for him to come sit next to her. “What is your name, sweetie?”
      “Bryan.” He answered as he sat down beside her.
      Her smile widened, “That really is your name, isn’t it? Well, now I know this is your first time.”
      “Ah, listen. I already paid the man out front for your time, so we can do anything right?”
      Her thinly plucked eyebrow lifted, “Within reason, but normally I am up for anything.”
      “Can we just talk?”
      Moonlight gave him a white gummy smile, “Well, that’s definitely a first for me, sugar.” She patted his hand on his knee, her nails were long and white. “Alright, we can talk. You have an hour, so if you change your mind during that time…”
      “I won’t.”
      She chuckled, “A man who knows what he wants, alright then. Tell me about yourself.”
      “You’ll tell my friend that we did it though, right?”
      Moonlight laughed out loud, “You got it, sweetheart.”