13 Degrees of Separation (9 page)

“No, we're good,” the Captain said smiling ever so slightly.

“No? What? Did she say no??!”

“What? What about passing through the empty system?”
Another voice asked on confusion.

“Yes but we refueled in Airea 3. In fact, we received
hydrogen and helium 3. Good quality stuff from their refinery.”

“Their refinery?”

“Yes. We built it for them.”

“You...”

“Io 11 is full of surprises. She's not just a freighter,
she's a factory ship as well. What can we build for you? For a fee of course.”
The old woman grinned as the Governor sputtered.

When the Purser presented them with a list of things they
could do in the time they had allotted to be in Nightingale space the Planetary
Governor grew despondent, then excited when some of the suggestions got
through.

“You'll bankrupt us! This is a negative balance of trade!
We're used to trading for fuel not...” he waved his hand in despair.

“It's not our fault your water people went so high on the
rates. I have no interest in paying those rates. Why, if I wanted fuel I can go
track down a comet and take what I needed and leave you completely out of it,”
the Captain said.

“I...” The Governor visibly deflated as he saw the go ahead
and push me look the Captain had. The Captain smiled ever so slightly. “But, I
am feeling generous. Quite generous, so I'll cut oh, ten percent off the cost of
some of the easier projects. If you make the decision today.”

“I need to consult the treasury...”

“Oh we take trade ins as well, not just credit or raw
material. Vehicles like the equipment you have might work, or sufficient rare
materials your planet produces. I understand you have a supply of Osmium?”

The Governor nodded. It was a rare material, one that had
once been used in space industry but was now almost completely useless since no
one could get around the replicator lock outs.

“We have a use for such material. If you are willing to
trade some of it,” Vanessa said.

“I... see,” the Governor said. He waved the water man out.
The waterman left in a daze, shaking his head. When he was gone the Governor
frowned. The Purser took her list of trade goods they had noted and then passed
it over to him. He took it and rubbed his goatee, studying it while thinking
hard.

“Yes, I think we can work on this. But the rates...”

“Are, as your friend just said, nonnegotiable. But I will
keep the ten percent off on the table. At least until sundown,” the Captain
said. “Us old ladies do need our beauty rest so we tend to turn in early,” she
said and yawned theatrically.

“Let me make some calls,” the Governor said, getting up in
a rush. The two spacers looked at each other as he retreated and smiled.

<===^===>

The crew did a lot of construction projects for rare
materials from the planet. Vanessa rubbed her wrinkled hands over the gear and
materials they had received in trade. The osmium was pure, wrapped in plastic.
She had spotted it the last time they had come through and had heard the story.
It had been dumped on the planet in order to take on refugees seven hundred
years ago. It had languished in a warehouse for all that time, forgotten. She
had a problem though. There was no place to put some of it with the ship's
holds stuffed with engineering parts.

While the crew had been downside they had passed on stories
of the Admiral. Some of the tales grew with the telling. Some were scoffed at,
but they brought along tablets and showed recordings of the Admiral and some of
the things he did. Faith made certain to pass out flash sticks and tablets with
the admiral's lessons to the schools, public library, and city hall.

Nightingale didn't have a college, but it did have a small
brick hospital. Mindy and her mother took a hand there, handing out tablets and
equipment.

While they were there the crew picked up another dozen crew
members. Four were Neo canines, two were Veraxin, and six were human girls from
a closed whore house. The girls had been sent out onto the street to fend for
themselves and had run afoul of the local law along with the married women in
town. Since most were considered debased, the single men weren't interested in
marrying them.

None of the new crew had any skills, but they were all
eager to learn. Mindy was a bit put out to have a Veraxin sign on as an SBA in
the sickbay. She didn't like the chittering and click click click of the
Veraxin's legs on the deck.

<===^===>

The crew talked about their plans for the future at the
mess hall, in the companionways, and while off duty or even while on duty.
Finally, to end the endless discussion the Captain decided to go ahead and
build the new ship. The girls were instantly excited, they hopped around in
glee. The elderly Captain shook her head at their antics but chuckled, eyes
twinkling. “I just hope you all know what you are in for. You had better know
what you're doing. I want it done quickly, efficiently, and without any
injuries,” she gruffly told them. Shandra, Faith, Jennie and the others nodded
dutifully.

“So, we're going to B448C Captain?” Shandra asked. “Instead
of exploring that empty system?”

“Yes. And yes, you can do a long jump young ladies,” the
Captain said, bowing to Lessa and Shandra both.

“Are you serious?” Shandra asked incredulously, clearly
excited. She loved the idea of doing a long jump, passing through the Epsilon
Triangula system without stopping.

“Yes.”

“Captain, this project... is it wise?” Vanessa asked
nervously.

“Heh,” the Captain snorted. “You can hide a lot in a system
if you're careful. We'll have to be careful.”

“But, I mean passing Epsilon...”

“We'll go back,” The Captain replied with a shrug. “It's
not a problem is it?”

“No, no, not a problem,” Vanessa said, shaking her head.

“Good. If we have any issues we can always look the admiral
up in Pyrax.”

“You mean change course? Go to Gaston and then to Pyrax?”

“Of course.”

“That is... certainly do able I suppose,” Vanessa murmured.

“Make it so helm, navigation,” the Captain said with an airy
wave.

“Aye aye Captain!” Shandra gleefully replied, getting set
up.

“What I do to keep people happy and on their toes,” the
Captain grumbled softly.

Empty system Beta 448c:

Shandra dropped them perfectly into the jump point zone of
B448c to Epsilon Triangula. Before she set course for their hidden cache the
sensors picked up another ship with the neutrino detectors. They had set up the
cache with the admiral over a year ago. He had been generous, building a lot of
parts they would need to make another ship. The captain and purser had agitated
to get moving before he had finished, so he'd given the engineering department
a list to work on. They had faithfully followed that list.

Warily they opened a channel. The ship was the Yellow Bird,
an ancient medium freighter on her last legs. “Fancy running into you here,”
the Captain of the Yellow Bird said over the radio.

“And you as well. It's a small sector.”

“Getting smaller by the minute it seems,” the Yellow Bird
Captain replied a few minutes later. They exchanged news. The Io Captain warned
them of the shenanigans over fuel they had run into on New Haven.

“Eh, so what else is new? Grounders are always trying to
jack up the price. They think we're doing the same.”

“Because we are,” the Captain replied with a laugh.

“Don't you just know it. So, do you have something to
trade? I'd love to have a shot with you. Traditional toast, my treat Captain,”
the Captain of the Yellow Bird said.

The Captain snorted. “Fine then. You my friend are on. Us
spacers need to stick together. I've got a crack engineering crew on board, and
Io 11 has been... well, let's just say she's had a bit of a face lift.”

“Oh?”

“So, my crew can teach yours a thing or two if you're
willing to spare the time,” she said.

“Unfortunately I've got to get to Gaston in six or seven
months.”

“And with a bit of work and the right incentive they can
get you there in three months,” the Captain said, smirking at the AI avatar.
“And I'll even let you talk to my AI.”

“You... you have an AI??”

The Captain tipped her head to the AI. The AI pursed her
lips. “This is Io of the Io 11, yes, I am the ship AI. I was restored by Fleet
Admiral Irons over two years ago,” she said.

“I... see. Io 11. You know, I had heard stories of you on
New Texas, Proxima, and Avalon. Some strange goings on. A bit about this
Admiral fellow you just mentioned.”

“He's the real deal. Sleeper. He spent the better part of
eighteen months with us and did a number on the ship. He ran my crew ragged but
they're troopers.”

“Sure,” the Yellow Bird Captain said finally. “Let's see
what they've got,” he said.

“Ah ahh Ah!” The Captain said, holding up a finger. “We
haven't agreed on a price yet old friend.”

“I knew there was a catch,” the other Captain grumbled.
That got a smile from the Io bridge crew.

“Why don't you see what they've done when we dock. In oh,
Two days?”

“That soon?”

“He overhauled our engines too,” the Captain said wickedly.

“Oh you are sooo on. See you in two.”

“Io 11 out. For now,” the AI said, cutting the circuit.

“Granddaughter, can you get those fighters you were playing
without into space?”

“Yes,” her granddaughter said thoughtfully. “But they
aren't armed,” she said, making a face. The admiral had failed to mention that
part. They'd restored the fighter with mostly off the shelf civilian parts.
They had drives and sensors but lacked weapons and military grade equipment,
which nagged at her.

“Do it. Run a full flight prep first of course. Stick close
to the ship. When we get close to docking, I'll probably want you to do it
again.”

“A show of force? It's an empty threat.”

“A bit of a show of force, and they don't know that
granddaughter,” the Captain said, shrugging. “If I really wanted to impress
them I'd fire our guns,” she said.

The younger woman nodded. “That can be arranged.”

“No, I'd say that's overkill. We're not pirates. I am
pretty sure they aren't either, but we'll keep an eye on things just the same,”
the Captain said. Her crew nodded.

<===^===>

They came along side the Yellow Bird and then accepted a
shuttle. The shuttle was ancient, an old but apparently still flyable Hawk. The
Hawk was a civilian version of the Federation Navy's SkyHawk and WarHawk. It
was a common craft in its day.

The fighter met the shuttle out in space and then escorted
it in to their number one boat bay. Then the Captains met. Captain Brown held
up a bottle of whiskey and two glasses. The Io Captain cackled with laughter
and waved to show him to her wardroom.

Along the way the visitors looked about, staring at the
ship. “You weren't kidding, she's like out of a holo of the past,” Captain
Brown murmured.

“We're hitting the upper octaves of Beta band now,” she
said, not telling them just how fast they really were.

“I am so envious,” he murmured. That got another laugh.

They settled on a brisk trade. Yellow Bird had two shuttles
that were no longer functional, along with another fighter and some odds and
ends. Dorah accepted two new cats including a pregnant mini-cheetah. The
Captain wasn't happy about it, but couldn't fend off the girl's puppy eyes. Her
sigh of acquisition was all the girl needed.

In exchange Faith's crew poured over the small freighter
and did what they could. Tara kept a wary eye on things from within the
engineering crew, but no conflicts came up. They also passed on all the
Admiral's training videos, his blue prints, and fabricated tons of spares and
parts for the Yellow Bird's crew. Just giving the ship's systems an overhaul
had a subtle but Major impact on the ship.

Io herself dived into the other ship's computer network,
cleaning out the centuries of built up crap while passing on any tidbits to
files for later retrieval. She made copies of the ship's log and notes and
passed both on to the Io Purser and Captain.

The Yellow Bird's crew were envious and a bit jealous of
the Io and her crew. They exchanged stories of the Admiral. When Captain Brown
found out that the Admiral was in Pyrax he made it a point of changing their
itinerary to look the man up.

A week after they came together the two ships parted ways.
Yellow Bird moved out with a faster clip to her sublight drive, and if they had
worked everything out as planned, would pick up three octaves in Alpha, more
than making up for the lost time.

<===^===>

After the ship exited the system, Io 11 returned to her
hiding spot. The Captain wasn't happy about the traffic. The crew wasn't
either, but there was little they could do about it.  Faith had them check the
cache over carefully. When they were certain no one had tampered with it they
got to work. They spent a day setting up the scaffolding and then began
unloading the holds.