Remnants of the Earth
OUTER SPACE => Open Space => Topic started by: Tally on October 19, 2010, 01:05:55 am
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"Everyone in or I'm leaving your asses!" Those were the last words Justin said before hitting the button for the cargo door. The stragglers of his crew jumped on board and got themselves behind the airlock with him.
Justin got on the intercom to the bridge. "Take us up."
While the rest of the crew took to their stations, Justin stayed behind to get the cargo in order, or at least make sure it was all there. They'd had to take off in a bit of a hurry, and he wanted some time alone. This was their last flight after all. He had a buyer all lined up for the ship, and most of the crew had already made plans for when they got back to Cancer. He was putting them out of work, but he'd been doing this long enough.
The ship had two smaller bays attached to its main cargo hold. They wound around and connected to the port and starboard halls by alternate doors. You could also pry the paneling off in certain places and find your way up through the walls and ventilation spaces right up to the gun turret doors, which would also give you access to the bridge if you knew where you were going.
Justin found himself in one of those smaller cargo bays. It was dark—two of the three lights had gone out and no one bothered to replace them—and the place was stacked high with crates.
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Reet was not having a good day. It had started like any other, but it had quickly gone down the shithole. Nothing seemed to be working smoothly and after getting caught breaking into a thugs house, the skinny kid had been chased through the corridors of the space station until he thought his lungs were going to explode.
That was when luck had finally shown her face and he got ahead of the thugs enough to wiggle his way onto an empty ship. There was plenty of crates in the dim cargo room that Reet had his pick. Curling up in the corner, wedged behind one of the larger crates, he planned on waiting a bit before sneaking out again, just in case.
But the long run had slowly caught up to him and the boy found himself drifting off without realizing it, his head resting against the side of the crate.
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Nostalgia had a hold of him a bit. This was, after all, the last he would ever see of this ship, of this room. The last time he'd ever wind his way through crates of shipment checking harnesses and buckles. They'd had a good run, a damn good run. And now they were gonna end it on a high note. A man couldn't ask for more than that.
He busied himself making sure all the crates were secure, working his way down the line, tightening up straps and ropes. They'd left in such a hurry, and you couldn't have huge crates sliding around in your cargo bay during reentry.
He rounded a corner and stopped dead. He actually jumped a little, surprised. Some kid was in his cargo hold, slumped against his shipment in sleep. In the dim light Justin had to lean forward to get a good look at him. He was a scrawny boy, maybe sixteen? Seventeen? And absolutely dead to the world.
A fucking stowaway. The last thing you wanted to be caught at in these skies. Justin straightened and laid a hand on the gun at his hip, excessively casual. He cleared his throat once, loudly.
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The throat clearing woke Reet with a start and he was on his feet, looking around before his brain was even full awake. And then he noticed the man. Ooooh shit. He had an eyepatch, that was probably a bad sign. People with one eye tended to be grumpy.
Hopefully he would just let him slip back off the ship and no harm done. Reet gave his best attempt at a winning smile, "Well hello there sir! I think I got a little lost. I was looking for a bathroom and I must have taken a wrong turn!"
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Justin nodded, smiling his most polite and patient smile, drumming his fingers against the grip of his gun. Gods, what a game this kid was running. He went ahead and let him finish.
"Ohhh lost! Well, let's see what we can do to fix that. How 'bout I help you find your way to the lockup? Won't be lost then will you? We'll know exactly where you are."
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Reet froze, his face falling, then all of a sudden he threw himself at Justin's feet, clinging to his legs and wailing at the top of his lungs. Sure, it was embarrassing as all hell, but pride wasn't about to keep him out of the lockup. Pity might.
"I'm so sorry! I didn't mean any harm! Honest! I just...I wasn't lost I was just trying to hide from my daddy! He was drinking and he was so angry and I was scared and I didn't realize your ship was going to take off and please don't kill me! I'll do anything you want! Please just don't hurt me!"
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What the hell?! Justin staggered back and nearly fell. He caught himself on a stack of crates and stared down at the pitiful little ball of failure at his feet. He was nearly overcome with secondhand embarrassment for the lad. Nearly.
"Shut it," he growled. "I didn't say anything about killing you, I said you were going to the lockup. It's the only place for stowaways. No one gets passage on this ship that I don't approve it first."
He grabbed a handful of the kid's shirt and hauled him up. He couldn't talk to someone clinging to his feet like that. It'd be a wonder if half the crew didn't know he was here after that yowling.
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Reet did his best to look as pathetic and nonthreatening as possible. Which wasn't hard when one was built like a 12 year old girl. And he was thankful yet again he tended to look younger than he really was. Still sniffling, his green eyes watering with tears, he laid it on thick, "Anything sir, please just don't hurt me. I really didn't mean to, honest!" That part, at least, was true, "I'll do anything you want. I wasn't trying to stow away and I'm a good working. I'll work my way! Please! I don't wanna get locked up and forgotten!"
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A small orange and gray drone floated down into the cargo bay, turning on a flashlight mounted on its spherical head to light the dark room. A stoic, robotic, yet oddly male voice issued from the drone, questioning. "Captain Ward? Are you in here? Miss Graves has requested that I inform you that everything is running smoothly and that we are only three minutes and fifteen seconds behind schedule." Floating over to the man and the stowaway, the hovering robot scanned the boy with its eyepiece before continuing. "I am also inclined to inform you that Miss Graves is currently attempting to sneak up on you from your south-southeastern side."
Almost on cue, a thin young looking woman leaped out from behind a stack of crates, her eyes narrowed into a glare and her lower lip puffed out in a pout, both of which were aimed directly at the drone. After a moment of silence, the drone spoke, "Yes, well. I understand, Miss Graves, that you disapprove of my *ahem* tattle telling on you. However, as I have said many times before, what we do is serious business. We cannot afford to ruin our shipments and risk bankruptcy." His words fell on deaf ears however, as Amber had taken a much keener interest in the boy that her captain was holding by the shirt.
The drone shook his head, which was an awkward motion considering how large it was in comparison to his small body, then sighed. "Alright I'll ask him. Miss Graves has requested to know the identity of this sniveling, frightened little whelp." This earned him another glare from Amber. The drone turned to the boy, "And Miss Graves has requested that you know that she did not call you a whelp. That was my ad libbing."
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It was rather surprising to suddenly find some weird looking robot appear. And then a pretty looking blond appeared. She looked a bit older than he was and had a creepy looking scar on her throat. And some weeeeird clothes.
But she at least looked much less intimidating than the large man that was dangling him from one hand, "I just got lost! Honest! I was just hidin' from muh da and then the ship took off and please don't hurt meeee!"
Reet started wailing again, fat crocodile tears rolling down his face. Being too pathetic for words had helped him out more than once. Maybe it would work again.
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"What? Oh, right. Yeah. Whatever." It was hard to concentrate on what Blank was saying with the kid still making excuses and Justin speculating on just what they'd do with him after they docked. Sell him maybe, or see if there was even a reward offered for his return to Cancer.
He let go of the kid's shirt—wasn't like he was going anywhere now was he? He'd just wanted him up off the floor. It was difficult to be all hardassed on someone who was groveling at your feet.
"She may not appreciate it, but I do," he said. He gave Amber a wink, monumentally grateful she hadn't gotten the jump on him. "I'm getting old, kid. You're gonna give me a heart attack doing that. We got a stowaway on board who's due for the lock up. He's—what is your name, kid?"
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"Uhhh....Reet, sir. Margarita Villanueva." He gave Justin a small, timid smile, hoping that he could go for innocent, puppy like loveablity, "I really honestly didn't mean to stowaway. It was an accident. I gotta get back to my momma on Cancer."
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Justin wasn't sure he'd caught all that. Margarita Villnu...Villa...wh atever, he'd just call him Reet. Was easier.
He stepped back, hand resting on his gun. It was a precaution, something he did without thinking now, a move that came of too many instances of someone trying to grab it from him in desperation. And this kid was certainly getting desperate.
"Move. That way. Your momma, huh? So if I get on the waves I'll hear of a request put out for a lost boy on Cancer, will I?"
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Reet laughed, trying to appeal to the man's jovial side as the crying and pleading wasn't working, "Not yet sir! She's uh...well, ya know, I mean, the woman named me Margarita. She isn't always real on top of things if ya get my drift. Which is why I gotta get back! She's a real mess with out me and well, my daddy isn't the nicest guy and like I mentioned, he's not in a real good mood."
He kept a wary eye on the gun, really not wanting to get shot. When Justin said move, he quickly jumped to do so, "You, uh, ya promise you aren't gonna shoot me? I've heard it really hurts..."
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"Mm hm. In front, keep walking." He gave the kid's shoulder a shove, lightly, just enough to get him moving and establish that they weren't friends here, weren't going to be, no matter what Reet had to say.
"It does hurt, and I promise I won't shoot you if you don't cause trouble." Beyond that, he wasn't promising nothing.
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"No trouble here sir! Not a bit!" Reet's dark skin paled a little and he stumbled slightly in his hurry to keep walking, "I'll be super good. I don't want no trouble or bullets. I just wanna get back. I really didn't mean ta be on yer ship or nothing. I mean, no reason we can't be friends, right?"
Just because Justin didn't want to be friends didn't mean Reet really didn't want to not be shot.
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"Excellent. That's what I like to hear. Take a left, keep going down the hall." Hand still on his gun, reflexes still ready for...whatever.
He wasn't without sympathy. He didn't trust the kid was all. He wanted to believe him, just couldn't take the risk. He'd keep him secure from here until their destination. Might leave him there, on that lonely planet, might bring him back to Cancer if Reet convinced him and didn't make his life difficult. If he were telling the truth, he'd find his way back home healthy and whole. If not, Justin would be no the worse for having been cautious.
"Problem is we're heading away from Cancer, and I've got a schedule. So you're gonna be with us awhile. You'll spend some time in our lock up. If you are good I'll let you out on a planet instead of out the airlock."
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"Whoa, let's calm things down a little here sir!" Reet made soothing gestures with his hands, "No need to start talking about airlocks. We're all friends here. I'll be an angel. I'll work for my passage or I can sit tight and stare at a wall."
Not really the most fun way to spend his days, but, well, it was way better than getting airlocked. And tall, dark and goodlooking wasn't even cracking a smile.
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Justin directed Reet from the huge hangar, around one of their shuttles—those alone nearly the size of a four-man cruiser—and then down some stairs into their more utilitarian block. Some stock rooms and the lock up were on this level.
"Oh yeah? What can you do? To the right."
Calm down? Heh, funny. Justin was playing up his stoney pirate look right now—his one eye looking down at Reet hard, unamused. It was nothing but calm. Calm and unyielding. What he needed the kid to understand, what he hoped he would communicate with talk of airlocks and guns, was how very disadvantageous it would be for both of them if Reet decided to be...uncooperative.
If he convinced Justin he was telling the truth, they could see about putting him to work on the way back. Half the crew was getting off at their next port and he'd have some tasks need doing.
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"Anything you want sir! I can do menial tasks and I'm pretty good with numbers and computers and stuff." Reet figured now was not the time to mention the whole thief thing. Most people didn't take that news kindly. He flashed Justin a cheeky smile, "I'll even warm your bed if you ask real nice."
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He gave Reet a flat look, let him suffer under that for just a second, then allowed a hint of good humor into his expression in the arch of a brow, the upward quirk of a corner of his mouth.
Bed warmer, hm? Now that was something he didn't have, and the kid was fetching. Something to think about—later. Reet was still a stowaway, intentional or otherwise, and he was doing his time in the lock up for it.
They'd arrived. The cell had a bed, a sink, and a toilet. A solid door, too, with a window covered by good old-fashioned steel bars. He gestured like he was inviting Reet into a grand new home. "It's all yours."
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Thank all the gods that listened! The man finally smiled! "Good! I was starting to worry you were immune to my natural charm and that would make this whole process much less fun."
The cell had Reet's smile fading as he stared at it, "Um...can I at least have a book or something? Pretty please?" He was not looking forward to being stuck in there.
"And, um, when do you think you'll wanna let me out for good behavior?"
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Justin's smile only grew, and stayed in place well after Reet's faded. It wasn't a kind smile.
"We'll see," he said, and slid the door shut.
It took some five days to reach their destination. Reet was fed, provided a few books to pass the time. Justin checked in on him, but not much. It was mostly crew who saw to him, with instruction not to linger. Stowaways paid for the transgression on Justin's ship, in one way or another.
They left their destination planet behind, now with half the crew they'd had coming in. Justin slid open Reet's cell door. "Want something to do?"
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Reet was just about crawling up the walls with raw boredom. The books he had been given were useful, but he tore through them too quickly. He almost never got to read books back home, not being able to afford the luxury. But he was a voracious reader when given the chance.
He rolled off the bed and was up against the bars, face eager, "YES! Whatever it is, YES!"
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Justin laughed and let Reet out. He let him walk behind him this time. He kept his hand on his gun.
Reet wasn't touching his computer systems. He didn't trust the kid enough for that. But he could see to some simple tasks Justin didn't care to do himself.
"You're going to join me on the bridge," he said. "Help me clean the place up."
By 'help' he meant that he would sit in the pilot's chair and supervise and Reet would do all the real work. The bridge was covered in debris from a tune up they'd gotten on world. Wires, old panels, screws, and metal were everywhere.
"Well kid, make yourself useful." Justin slouched back in the seat.
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Reet didn't even notice the mess. He only had eyes for the windows staring out into space. Reet moved closer, staring up at the sky, mouth parted. He hadn't really seen much of space. There weren't exactly windows all over Cancer. He didn't have many chances to see the open sky.
"Whoa. It's beautiful..."
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Justin almost snapped at the kid, and then it clicked. He wasn't ignoring his orders, he'd just found something he couldn't look away from.
He grinned, and let the kid have his moment. He'd had that moment himself, and wouldn't want to ruin it for anyone. You had a right to that awe, with a view like that. Justin took hold of the yoke and nudged the ship's view dock a few degrees counter clockwise. A nebula came into view, light years away but also light years huge. It's gaseous stalagmites branched up in luminescent colors.
"Dawnstar Nebula."
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Reet's eyes got even wider, moving closer until he was pressed up against the glass. Everything else was forgotten, there was just that huge, endless expanse of the most beautiful thing he had ever seen.
He almost didn't hear Justin talk, so absorbed in the view, "I...whoa. Is this...real? I mean...can something actually be that...perfect?" He didn't have the words to describe the awe he felt, the power and the pull of those stars. And the colors in that nebula...it almost hurt to look it it, it was so amazing.
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"If you can call interstellar gas perfect." He was pretty much talking to himself, and he realized that. It was one hell of a nebula, deserved its moment of glory, it did. Even pictures of it would leave you looking on silent for a few moments, but nothing compared to seeing it in front of you, nothing but void and glass between you and it.
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Reet just nodded absently, hands pressed against the cold glass. He was still awestruck and it was several minutes before he could manage to tear away from the glass, turning to look over at Justin, "You get to see this? Like, every day?"
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Justin shrugged. "Among other things."
They called it a void, but the universe had a shit ton of beauty and strangeness to behold. It was far from empty. Aside from the staggering variety of planets themselves, there were asteroids of astonishing make up and material, double pulsars, supernovae, wormhole rifts, belts of debris and asteroids so thick you couldn't fly a shuttle through. There was a lot out there, and he'd seen most of what any human traveling he void could hope or expect to see.
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"Wooooow." Reet kept turning back to stare out the window, despite knowing he really should get back to cleaning up. It was just so beautiful, those swirling colors, filling that dark sky. And the stars, perfect points of light against that rich backdrop.
For having spent his entire life in space, Reet had never seen much of it and he didn't want to look away. He finally shook his head and reluctantly focused on the mess, "Okay, so, do you want me to save any of this or what?"
There was something so disappointing from going from pure, raw beauty to...this.
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Justin waved a hand at the whole mess. "Nah, trash it. It's all getting sold when we hit Cancer anyway."
He'd have been more picky otherwise, but in a week or so none of this would be his responsibility anymore. He focused deliberately on all the good things this would bring about, and not at all on all of the pitiful, nostalgic misgivings he had.
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"All of it? Really?" There seemed like there were some usable parts still in there. But it wasn't his, so he just shrugged and went to work, gathering up the scrap. He hadn't been working long when he realized the rest of what Justin said, "Wait? You're selling it? Like the ship? No way! Serious?"
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"Whole thing." Justin swiveled the chair around and swept a hand out in a gesture than encompassed the entirety of the ship. "And everything in it. Got a buyer already lined up."
Some of the crew had taken their leave at the last port. The rest would take themselves to whatever else life had for them next after they docked at Cancer. Thinking about it made him imagine what it would be like when he stepped off his ship for the last time. His heart plummeted at that.
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"Are you crazy?!" Reet stared at Justin, open mouthed in shock, a part dangling from his hand, "You are giving this up? For what? Why!?" This ship was like his idea of paradise and the idea that Justin was just going to sell it was insane to him. How could he even consider that idea?
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"For money enough to retire. They say it's a good time to be a pirate but they're wrong."
Dead wrong. Years of running jobs on the wrong side of the law cautioned him to know better. This wasn't their playground, no matter what it looked like on the surface. They were building their fortunes on a sleeping volcano and couldn't feel the rumblings. Justin felt them enough to give up his ship while he still could.
He stared at the part hanging from the kid's hand. "Keep it up, now. Don't make me break out the whip."
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"Wait, is that a threat or a promise?" Reet grinned, recovering from his earlier surprise and quickly shoving more of the parts into the beg, "So, what? You're gonna give up all this? All this freedom and go...live on Cancer or something?"
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Justin only shrugged, but kept his eyes on Reet and gave him a sly smile. He wasn't quite trusting enough or accepting enough of this kid yet to joke like that with him.
"Cancer, Libra...maybe. More likely one of the little colonies out around Aria Six or some such. I'm trying to get away from it all, not trap myself in it even more."
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Okay, well, that joke failed. But he wasn't quiet ready to give up on Operation: Make them love me so they wont turn me in. There weren't a whole lot of other options, besides running away and dying in the dead space around them.
"Oh yeah? I hear those places are nice. Like, plants and real skies and shit. That would be a pretty nice place, but still...It's not a ship."