Chapter Five

Alex rolled over for what seemed like the hundredth time in the last hour and shoved a fist into the pillow, trying to find the right balance between support and softness. It was, of course, no use. He never could sleep the night before a launch, though he always felt it necessary to pretend. It was silly, really. There wouldn’t be anything exciting about the journey until they were nearer to the Nebula. Until then, it was all known space, open, empty, and routine.

But it was starting! A new adventure, a new chance to be the first one to see beyond what was already known. He felt like a kid on Christmas morning, waiting for his mother’s butler to tell him she was awake and ready to receive the day. The only difference was the fact that no one knew what he was going to find. Only probes had been as far as the Pendulum Nebula and they hadn’t penetrated its murky depths. Exploration wasn’t as high on society’s mind as Alex thought it should be, but no matter. He rather liked being one of the few people interested in the adventure. And, he had to admit, he even enjoyed the competition.

Well, it was no use. He’d shoved his fist into the pillow so many times, it refused to try and adjust to his comfort any longer. With a final sigh of failure, Alex got out of bed before the room’s sensors could suggest he take a sleep-aid. He padded barefoot to the bathroom and stared at the mirror for a moment before stepping into the shower. Now that they’d disconnected all supply umbilical lines, the showers were on full recycle setting, offering only a thin mist that was greedily sucked back up through the drains in both floor and walls. It could be just as refreshing as a regular shower if you convinced yourself you didn’t have time to waste soaking in a long spray of steam. In fact, Alex chose colder water to help clear out the last of his failed sleep.

“Time,” he asked the room.

“The time is 0319.”

The ship and the planet it orbited shared the same time zone, but that would change quickly after they shoved off. Alex was more accustomed to thinking in terms of his ship’s time than anything else after all these years. He left shaving for later, slipped into a pair of loose sweat pants and a sleeveless shirt and wandered barefoot out to the living area. Many excursions and sleepless launch days had established his routine and the coffee machine in the galley would already be brewing up his pre-breakfast pot.

He walked through the bedroom door to the galley, then shoved a cup under the dispenser and yawned while it filled with hot coffee. Reflected in the polished surface of the cupboards was a figure bent over the desk opposite the galley. Alex turned his head and found Evan seated there.

“What are you doing up at this hour?”

“You couldn’t sleep.” Evan’s eyelids were barely held open.

Even as tired as he was, Alex didn’t think that answer made sense. “I can never sleep before a launch.” He retrieved his cup and wandered to the desk, glancing at the data displayed there. Charts and diagrams of the Ascalon’s engine and propulsion system specs were spread about in hard copy and 3D, with red highlights glowing to mark certain areas. “Have you been studying this stuff all night?”

Evan had to finish a yawn before he could reply. “When I realized you weren’t coming out of the room, I decided to get some work done.”

“That’s what I got up for.” Alex sipped his coffee as he walked to the table behind the couch. The surface was covered entirely with plastic sheets of the latest probe data of the Pendulum Nebula. He gathered the sheets into one hand and walked around the back of the semi-circular couch, then plopped down heavily into the deep cushions. “I shouldn’t even bother trying to fall asleep the night before.”

Alex spread the data sheets out on the table in front of him and the couch cushions to his left, organizing them in a slightly haphazard manner. Behind him, he caught a glimpse of Evan stretching as he walked to the galley.

“Listen, you might as well change any of Jeff’s presets. Go ahead and program in your own. He always liked his coffee exactly the opposite of mine.” Alex shuffled some sheets. He used to think Jeff was as level-headed a person as there was, and his wife Alice almost more so. But then, he also used to think Sha’erah were illegal.

“What’s this?” Evan stepped around the couch and sat down to Alex’s right, the only section free of the scattered data sheets.

“The latest probes of the nebula. These are two years ago, then last year, then every month up to five weeks ago.” Alex pointed at the sheets in turn.

Evan sipped his coffee and looked at the scans. “Doesn’t show much.”

“You just have to know where to look.” He gathered the scans together, tapping them against the table top to straighten them out, then flipped a switch with his foot that illuminated the table from within. When he set the plastic sheets down, light streamed through them, making the markings clearly visible.

“Looks like static.”

“It is, pretty much. The probe’s computers don’t bother adding color and highlights, so you get a pure image, mostly a mathematical representation of what it’s seeing.” He pointed to the center of the top sheet. “This one on top is the first scan, two years ago.” With a sweeping gesture, he indicated the entire sheet of gray, fuzzy static. “The gasses in the Nebula bounce most of the signals right back at you, that’s what makes this fuzzy-looking gray.”

Evan pointed to several darker spots. “Planets?”

Alex nodded. “But this is the real fun part.” He put a finger on the upper left edge of the scan. “See how the gray static of the Nebula changes with each sheet? The gasses are always moving, pushed around by solar winds and asteroid bodies passing here and there. But this section is more like the planets.”

“It’s still static.” Evan had leaned forward to get a better look. “But it doesn’t move.”

“Exactly.” Alex felt a surge of anticipation run through his body, shaking off the last of the failed sleep. “There’s something in there, something other than a planet. Static and gasses are variable, different with every shot you take. Planets are predictable once you establish their orbits.”

“So what’s this?”

Alex sighed and leaned back, slouching against the cushions. “I don’t know,” he admitted. “It’s something.”

Evan yawned again and rubbed his eyes tiredly. “Where do you find turbidium?”

“Planets, asteroids, any massive rock formation can be laden with it. You can usually bet on finding at least one planet in a large system to have quantities worth mining.”

“I don’t understand.” Evan leaned back as well, resting his coffee cup on his chest. “If this mineral is so vital, why are you and this Franklin guy the only two going out there to find more?”

“It’s valuable, but not rare. Trouble is, the sources that are being mined now are owned by one or two corporations. They have a monopoly on the product everyone wants. So, if we can find more – in this case out there –” Alex nodded toward the data sheets on the table instead of through the massive window in front of him. “Paulson Carpenter can join the ranks of the elite and provide some competition. That drives prices down, usually.”

“Why don’t you want to lay claim to it?” Evan stifled another yawn. “If it’s so valuable, and you’re the one finding it?”

Alex shook his head and sat up, smoothing the plastic sheets out so he could examine them all again. “I’m not a miner, I’m an explorer. I just need enough money to pay for taking this ship out to make me happy.”

Evan set his cup on the table and leaned back on the couch again, propping his toes up on the only section of the rounded surface that wasn’t now covered by plastic data sheets.

“Why don’t you go back to sleep? We don’t leave for another four hours.” Alex picked up the latest scan and stared intently at it.

“I’m fine.”

The scan he held showed the upper left edge clearest of them all, with much of the Nebula’s static wafting farther to the right. Still, it was impossible to determine what the blotch was. It could be a small moon, or cluster of moons. Perhaps a group of asteroids traveling the Nebula together, even orbiting a denser member of their group. It didn’t appear to be orbiting anything itself, but it was impossible to say with the scans they had. Whatever it was, it wasn’t his predetermined goal. He had to navigate the Nebula, mapping as much of it as he could on the way through, and search for turbidium in the system he was sure lurked inside. Once he’d accomplished that, and fulfilled his obligation, he could roam around a bit and find out what exactly this mystery was.

Nebulas were notoriously hard to penetrate with scans, so the information the probes sent back was only partially helpful, but Alex needed those scans to make a basic plan of attack that could be modified as they drew closer. Until then, he would follow a simple route straight there, probably right beside Franklin’s ship, while each waited for the other to veer off on his own private path.

Alex sifted through a few more sheets and noticed Evan had fallen asleep where he was, slouched down on the couch with his toes hooked over the edge of the low table, knees balanced precariously in the air. As he examined the new sheets, he noticed those knees begin to lean over. Before they could dislodge the toes, Evan woke with a start.

“Why don’t you just go back to bed?” Alex swallowed the last of the coffee in his cup. “You can still get in a couple of hours.”

“I’m fine.” Evan repositioned his knees and closed his eyes again.

Alex shook his head and looked for the first of the scans. “Suit yourself.”

He found it much easier to think about the launch and the nebula rather than dwell on the fact that he had a Sha’erah sitting next to him on the couch. Or that he was the Keeper. So far he’d managed to put off all thinking and serious contemplation of that small problem successfully, perhaps he’d never really have to give it much thought? Maybe it didn’t really need much thought. Jeff’s sudden departure had unwittingly made things easier, giving Evan a job to do on the Ascalon and a place to stay. Alex felt rather confident, now that they were about to get underway, that things would start to fall into place. Evan would have something to occupy his time, he could get on with his usual task of commanding the ship and mapping their route, and everything would work itself out. No need to think of himself as anything other than the commander of a ship, with Evan as a crew member.

Yes, things would just work themselves out. They always did.

Alex reached for another sheet from the table and saw the knees leaning toward him again. He gave them a gentle push, making sure they balanced instead of toppling over the other way.

He had to admit, though, there were a few aspects to this new situation he really wanted to think about. According to the stories he’d heard, Sha’erah were not completely human. Some kind of advanced biomechanical manipulation was involved in their creation, altering their basic desire for personal freedom and adding various attributes. In Evan’s case – though Alex still hadn’t actually asked him the full details – he was somehow enabled with the ability to personally interface with a computer with just the touch of that silver in his palm.

But just how human was he? Or rather, how alien? And if Evan didn’t know, who would? Proof of alien sentient life was still pretty speculative at best, proof of space faring aliens with technological advances had yet to be found by anyone. If there was a race of aliens intelligent enough to engineer human DNA, why would they?

It was easier to conceive of some mad scientist hidden away on a moon somewhere, experimenting on the unborn, with wealthy backers who greedily kept their secrets shrouded in mystery and alien horror stories. Much the same way the governments of old Earth allowed myths of UFOs to perpetuate, keeping the public occupied and paranoid, while they built weapons of mass destruction right under their noses.

Hell, Evan probably wasn’t part alien at all.

Alex glanced at the man sleeping on the couch next to him and let his eyes take in the sight of the black tattoo lacing the side of his neck. Who am I kidding? Things weren’t going to be the same ever again. This wasn’t just a new crew member. This was a Sha’erah. Even the name sounded alien.

Well, there was nothing to be done about it now. He glanced at the ring shining on his finger and recalled his conversation with the doctor on Cryian II. He’d known Evan as well as anyone. If he thought teaching the man to learn to think like a free man – like a regular guy instead of a slave – was possible, Alex had nothing to lose by trying. At best, he’d gain a friend, hopefully one he could trust. At worst, he’d be right where he was now: confused, a little disjointed, and trying to decide if this new puppy was going to lick his hand or bite it off.

With a sigh, he turned his attention back to his scans. Not long after, the room’s chime gently informed him he had one hour before launch.

“I’ve scheduled breakfast to be ready in a few minutes.” Evan sprang from the couch as if he’d been awake the whole time. “I’ve been winging it so far, since you haven’t told me what you do and don’t like to eat.”

Alex cleared his throat and stood, stretching. “I don’t really have preferences, I just eat whatever’s available.” He started for his room. “I’m gonna change.” He left Evan to his own devices in the galley and re-washed his face, feeling the adrenaline of a launch kicking in again. His ship’s uniform was casual, allowing the crew some leeway in their dress, with regulation insignia as the only standard. Alex chose black pants of a sturdy cotton, a green shirt, and black jacket bearing his rank and Ascalon insignia. Mentally, he pictured the effect standing on the bridge next to Evan was going to have on his crew. After a moment’s hesitation, he changed from the black jacket to a milder gray, convincing himself it would make a world of difference.

“Here, you can wear this.” Alex tossed Evan the black jacket. “I give up with the color scheme. We can have some of your other clothes set with the logos and insignia, that’s the closest we come to uniforms here.”

Evan examined the jacket, then put it on over his black, short-sleeved shirt. “Do you prefer Captain or Commander?”

Alex waved a hand, dismissing the importance of such distinctions, and sat down to the breakfast set out at the galley’s counter bar. “On the bridge, it’s Captain. Anywhere else it’s Alex.” He sipped the fresh coffee. “Sometimes other things, but never to my face.”

“Not when I’m with you.” Evan sat opposite him. “Spencer said money commanded respect, but so does rank.”

“Listen, you . . .” Alex looked at the man, clad again in nothing but black, with an alien sense about his demeanor he couldn’t quite describe. The black eyes didn’t help, either. “Just don’t kill anyone, okay?” He set the cup down. “At least not without asking first.”

Evan returned a look clearly stating Alex was an idiot. “After we get underway, I’d like to look at the engineering section, now that I’ve read up on the specs.”

“Of course.” Alex shoved the last of his breakfast into his mouth and checked the time. “You’re going to be all right with handling that, aren’t you? I always relied on Jeff to take care of the mechanical details so I’d be more free to concentrate on the science.”

“You won’t have anything to worry about.” Evan nodded solemnly. “It was pretty stupid to put me in charge of something like that the day before you start out, but I’ve studied the schematics. I’m confident I can learn them quickly and completely.”

“Don’t hold back, Evan, tell me what you really feel.” Alex put his empty dishes into the chute that would send them to the ship’s kitchens for cleaning, then accepted Evan’s dishes and did the same with them.

“I suppose coming from a man who launches for a nebula with no map whatsoever, this type of decision is normal.”

“Hey, don’t knock it till you’ve tried it.” Alex nodded toward the door. “Come on, I like to be on the bridge when we pull away.”

He led the way down the corridor to the bridge lift, fully aware he was grinning with anticipation. The excitement of what was to come had already overshadowed any strange feelings he had about the sudden prejudice shown by his former partner. Of course, it hadn’t even come close to the attitude his own mother had hit him with, but she couldn’t just quit. He could, however, leave.

And that was what he was about to do. The bridge was brimming with activity as command crew called out readings and status reports, monitoring the input from the station’s flight controllers. Alex absorbed it all in a familiar flood of information, easily sorting through the comments and data displays. Evan was a silent shadow beside him, watching everything but asking nothing. They walked the rim of the bridge on the upper walkway so Alex could give orders and authorize actions as the ship slowly pulled away from the orbiting station. As the engines began powering up to full, Alex nodded toward his office.

“Come on, I want to show you something.” He led the way around the walkway to the forward section, then flipped a switch in the wall that lowered the bow shields, exposing a floor-to-ceiling viewing window that caught everyone’s attention, momentarily distracting them from their launch duties. Alex sighed, looking out at the stars before them. “I like watching launches from here. After a while, the view is pretty much the same. There’s only so much space a person can stare at. But watching us pull out of the system always gives me a rush.”

Evan scanned the infinite horizon, then looked at Alex. “I looked at the local media reports last night. The Vision is still in local space, doing interviews.”

“Yeah, he milks it for the publicity.”

“He’s waiting for you.”

Alex glanced at Evan, eyebrows creasing. “What do you mean?”

“He’s waiting to see what direction you take.”

“There’s only one direction, that’s to the nebula. The tricky part doesn’t start till we get there.”

Evan shook his head. “I studied his record, and the other explorers you’ve gone up against, and they all do that. They wait to see what direction you’re taking, and plan their moves around you.” He turned back to the view. “You’re the expert in this field, and they know it.”

“I’m just one of the players, that’s all.” Alex dismissed the notion, but had to look at the view himself to keep his face from flushing.

The intercom crackled to life. “Ascalon, you are cleared from Scotia Station. Safe trip and happy hunting.”

The announcer’s voice was followed immediately by a round of standard commands and much excited chatter. Alex left his crew to their duties, keeping an ear open to insure his instructions were followed. The stars began shifting slightly, too distant to truly appear to be moving, but below them Scotian quickly fell away, then her moons and outer system planets, one by one, rapidly grew smaller.

“I love this view.” Alex watched another planet grow larger, then smaller as they approached and passed the massive body. “Like being lord of the universe.”

Beside him, he heard muffled laughter. Evan’s face was turned slightly away.

“Are you laughing?”

“No.”

Alex stared at the side of Evan’s face, then looked forward again, watching a moon drift quickly by.

“I thought I heard laughing.”

“I didn’t laugh.”

“Captain, the Vision is hailing us.”

“I’ll take it in my office.” Alex answered, then looked outside again. “I thought you couldn’t lie to me?”

“I wasn’t laughing.”

He looked at Evan again, then started for his office.

“I started to laugh.” Evan fell into step beside him. “But I didn’t laugh.”

Alex failed to see the distinction, but he didn’t have time to argue. Once inside his office, Evan moved immediately to the same spot behind his desk that he’d occupied yesterday. The view screen that was set in the wall directly in front of the desk was large enough to show more than one person for conference purposes, so it showed Alex and quite a bit of his office. He knew it was Franklin hailing him, as the race began. He also knew who his old foe was about to see for the first time.

He keyed up the console and watched it flash to life, revealing a smiling – then somewhat startled – face.

“Marcase, you old dog.”

“Franklin, what are you still doing in the neighborhood?”

Thomas Franklin was older than Alex by ten years and sported a full, blazing red beard and moustache he used to hide his expression. Right now, it was obvious the man had been surprised to see a Sha’erah dressed in black and standing directly behind Alex. Whether rumor had spread about his inheritance or not, hadn’t occurred to him, but if anyone knew what everyone was doing, it was Thomas Franklin.

“Oh you know me, gotta give the media their story. Human interest to them is just plain good PR to us. I’ve always wondered why you never indulge yourself.”

“It doesn’t get me where I want to be any faster.” Alex half turned toward Evan. “This is Evan, by the way. He’s replacing Jeff.”

“I’d heard.” Franklin’s gaze fixed on Evan for a full minute. “Inheritance, eh?”

Figures. “He’s my new partner. An expert in communications and computer systems.” Alex knew if Franklin knew this much, he probably knew the rest, including Jeff’s sudden departure on ‘moral grounds.’

“Well, I won’t keep you. Just calling to wish you luck.” Franklin’s smile broadened. “Not that you’ll win, but it’s the least I can do.”

“Oh I don’t know, I think you could manage less.” Alex leaned forward, resting his arms on the desk. “I’ll let you know what I find out there.”

Captain Franklin’s laughter echoed through the speakers seconds longer than it took the screen to fade again to black.

“You didn’t confront him about trying to break in to your files.”

Alex turned the chair halfway around and looked up at Evan. “No, I have no proof. It could have been anyone on his ship.” He sighed. “Besides, he didn’t get anywhere.”

“But he’ll try again.”

“And you’ll make sure he doesn’t get in, right?”

“Of course.”

Alex nodded, then thought of something. “You didn’t disagree with my assessment this time.”

“Because you were right. I am an expert in communications and computer systems.”

Evan’s attitude was so matter-of-fact, it nearly made Alex laugh.

“With your permission, I’d like to go down to Engineering and have a look around.”

“Of course, sure. And you don’t need my permission.” Alex turned back to his desk.

“Yes, I do.”

“No, you . . . Never mind. Go ahead.” He wasn’t willing to spoil a great launch day by delving into things with Evan that could wait. After all, they were going to be together for . . . Well, apparently forever. Alex shook his head and tried hard not to start thinking about that.

Evan left the office and Alex called up the Ascalon’s front sensors, displaying the inky black of space on his office screen. After enjoying the view for a few moments, he called up the probe data. The screen flickered once, then flashed to life with a full view of the Pendulum Nebula. He leaned back, gazing at the sight. The massive body of purple colored gasses was a beautiful sight by anyone’s standards. Moving with the unpredictable winds of solar radiation bombarding the gasses from all sides, the giant appeared over time to sway back and forth, up and down, as if in some sort of galactic dance, where time and space were partnered in an ever changing rhythm. Once they were inside, the gasses would wreak havoc with the ship’s sensors, bouncing back signals while allowing others to pass, effectively confusing any ship wandering through. The safest thing to do was enter at the clearest section, and follow a course already laid out, through the planets, moons, and, more importantly, asteroids and wandering chunks of space debris.

That was the safest thing. But it wasn’t always the quickest.

Alex had every intention of having a safe route into the Nebula by the time they approached the leading edge. But unlike most excursions, simply traveling to the area in question wasn’t the only goal. In order to explore the region and search for turbidium, they needed to find out what the nebula held, how many planets, or – depending on its actual size – how many systems were hidden within its purple haze. It was Alex’s intention to have each planet mapped prior to entering the gas, but even with scans and data probes, there were no guarantees.

He zoomed the display closer to the leading edge of the Nebula. From this probe, the typical darkening of large bodies of mass could be faintly seen, smatterings of planets following odd orbits around a far-off sun. Most likely ice planets, no doubt devoid of any life they’d be familiar with, but good candidates for turbidium if the ice wasn’t too thick. Alex sincerely hoped it wouldn’t be that easy. He wanted more time to explore as much of the unknown as possible before being forced back out to send the signal back to Scotian. He hoped to make enough on this venture to finance further exploration of the Nebula, but the more he could do on Carpenter’s ticket, the better.

In a perfect world, he’d find several good sources of the mineral, see Franklin head back in defeat, and be left alone to find out just what was hidden in the upper left-hand quadrant of those scans. It could be nothing, randomly scattered rocks trapped in some bizarre geosynchronous orbit, but something told him that wasn’t the case. Whatever it was, he wanted to be the first to see it. Chances were Franklin had seen the same scans, and recognized the anomaly as well, but he wasn’t as much of an explorer as Alex. He could be pretty businesslike in times like these, and pass up perfectly good opportunities to be curious if he didn’t see a profit margin in it.

Which reminds me. Alex turned off the display, then called up the contract on his desk screen. He hadn’t even so much as glanced at the terms of his deal with Carpenter. Jeff had always taken care of those details, making sure they were getting enough funds, plus a bonus upon successful completion of the project. Jeff would have signed the deal before leaving, so he was confident there wouldn’t be any rude surprises waiting for him. Paulson Carpenter was an honorable man. As long as . . .

Alex whistled out loud, staring at the figures. “Holy shit.”

The usual expenses were there, providing for various salaries, equipment rentals, the Ascalon’s lease for another year, and various odds and ends Jeff always planned for in case of emergencies. The reserve for emergency rescue compensation was healthy enough to ensure their immediate retrieval by anyone looking to make a hefty profit. But the bottom section typically reserved for bonuses and perks was what caught his eye.

If they laid claims on valid sources of turbidium in sufficient quantities to support mining for several years, the lease on the Ascalon would be paid in full, awarding sole ownership to Captain Alex Marcase. If said source or sources were sufficient to sustain active mining for more than fifty years of projected use, that bonus would be accompanied by a cash award of .5 million credits.

“Maybe my luck is coming back after all.” Alex flipped off the display and chewed his bottom lip. He’d always hoped someday this ship would be his, free and clear, but he never really believed it could happen. Even when – No, selling Evan was never an option. He would have been no better than . . . well, his father. Or his mother, come to think of it. Hell, even the man he would have claimed as his closest friend.

Just when he thought to check the time, his stomach growled its opinion. He left the office and checked the ship’s status with the bridge crew, then started down the main corridor toward the galley five levels down. It occurred to him to check with Evan, make sure the man knew where the galley was, but surely he was self-sufficient enough to know when he needed to eat and where to take care of it. Alex himself rarely bothered to eat lunch, but the excitement of the launch, coupled with no sleep, had him hungry enough to head straight to the galley instead of ordering food sent up to his own quarters.

The Ascalon’s galley was large enough to accommodate the entire crew at the same time, but with food service available in every cabin, it was hardly ever filled to capacity. Today was no exception, but the room was well occupied and the mood very high. Alex retrieved a tray of sandwiches and made his way to the quieter section.

A short, stocky man chewing violently on the remains of a huge sandwich nodded at Alex and scooted over to make room. “Captain, I was going to look for you after lunch.”

“What can I do for you, Cliff?”

The engineer’s reply was postponed during a massive swallow. “That new guy, Evan, he’s down in Engineering. I’m taking the rest of these sandwiches down to him and Kitts in a sec.”

Alex’s eyebrows rose. “I was hoping you weren’t going to down all of those yourself.” So, Evan wasn’t coming up to the galley or back to their quarters. He had obviously found a way to get some lunch, though.

Cliff nodded, washing down his mouthful with a drink of pale liquid that smelled heavily of mangos. “I gotta tell you, Captain, at first I thought Kitts and I were gonna have some problems with this guy. I mean, brand new, and he comes down there ready to give orders.”

Alex tensed, preparing for an argument only his rank guaranteed him to win.

“At first he was asking all sorts of questions, then he started checking out some things, and I gotta tell you, the way he just kinda presses his hand on the panels and gets into the computers, well that’s pretty hard to swallow.”

“But?”

“Well, after a bit he started explaining to Kitts and I how the engines weren’t using the fuel optimally and he showed us some specs and, well, the rest is history.” Cliff smiled, then remembered to finish his explanation. “I mean, it will be history. They’re down there now heavily involved in the plasma mixture, and I gotta tell you, I think this guy’s right.”

Alex blinked. “So, you’re saying Evan and Kitts are getting along then?” His Chief Mechanical Officer wasn’t known for liking change. And he wasn’t one for taking orders from anyone he didn’t already agree with.

“I gotta tell you, this guy – strange as he is, being a Sha’erah and all – he knows what he’s talking about.” Cliff shoved the last of his sandwich into his mouth but didn’t let that stop his conversation. “It’s creepy the way he kinda gets inside the computer, like he’s just wandering through the data himself or somethin’, but by God he’s found some things we never would have thought to look for.” The man wiped his mouth, then suddenly looked apologetic. “I’m sorry Jeff took off the way he did, he was a good man, don’t get me wrong. But I gotta tell you, this new fella’s really something. I’d better get lunch down to them. They’re so into this plasma mixture, they didn’t want to break for eats.”

Before Alex could comment further, Cliff had gathered the sandwiches and scurried off.

The surprising revelation made him forget his uncommon hunger for a moment longer. Not that he should be surprised. Evan must be adaptable to new situations and have the capacity to take charge regardless. As much as Alex had expected more trouble from his crew concerning this new addition, he was relieved not to find much. At least, not yet. Of course, much of his crew were new even to him, having been hired by Jeff while he was gone to replace those who couldn’t wait. Changes in the plasma mixture.? He should be glad that Evan had found something to occupy his time and wasn’t hovering behind the desk all day. Jacob Kitts wasn’t an easy man to impress. Those changes must have made logical sense.

Alex ate his lunch and contemplated this news. He trusted Evan’s abilities, inasmuch as he’d known the guy less than one full week. His father had trusted the man with finances and company secrets. He was a Sha’erah, after all. There wasn’t anything he’d do to Alex’s ship that would cause it harm or slow it down. And Kitts wouldn’t let anything disrupt his engines.

He shook his head free of thoughts and finished eating. Evan would tell him what he’d done tonight anyway, in between scolding him for having no map through the nebula. With that thought, he walked back to his office to start working on the route.

Three hours into it, he was paged from the bridge.

“We’re about to pass the Vision, sir.”

“My favorite part.” Alex grinned and flipped on the view screen. To their relative left appeared the massive form of the Vision, a deep space exploration vessel five years younger than the Ascalon, and in considerably better cosmetic shape. Where Franklin had time and credits to repair the nicks and scrapes to his ship’s skin, Alex preferred to concentrate any and all improvements on the inside, on engines, probes, scanners and as up-to-date command equipment as he could manage. The evidence of long space journeys he left as proof – a badge of courage so to speak – displaying an adventurous spirit.

“Comm, hail the Vision.” Alex sat back, gazing at the screen as it changed views. “You’re still here?”

“Had to slow down to pick up a passenger. One of your rejects, I believe.”

Alex lowered his eyelids.

Franklin smiled widely, then gave his helmsman an order to allow the small transport to dock. “Your former second accepted my offer. I can always use good men.”

Alex’s face burned. “Jeff?”

“He needed a job. Hope you don’t mind, Alex. But it’s not like I’m stealing him away, after all.”

Alex didn’t trust his ability to reply, so he terminated the connection. “Damn him!” And damn me for letting him go!Jeff wouldn’t stoop so low as to . . . He hit the intercom with some force. “Engineering, this is Captain Marcase. Is Evan down there?”

“Captain, this is Baker, he’s just down the tube here. Go ahead, he can hear you now.”

“We’ve got a problem, I need you up in the office.”

He heard movement over the speaker, then Chief Mechanical Officer’s voice broke in.

“Well, judging by the way he just lit outta here, I’d say he’ll be there in a sec.”

“Thanks, Chief.”

“Hey, Captain, this guy is a regular godsend. If these calculations of his are right, we’ll be able to streamline the mixture and increase our fuel efficiency by fifteen percent.”

Alex chewed the much-used corner of his bottom lip for a second as he contemplated that information. “Are we talking mileage or speed, Kitts?”

“We’re talking speed, Captain. If this works, we could cut nearly a month off our travel time.”

“Perfect. Make it work.”

“You got it.”

Alex shut off the intercom and started pacing his office. Jess working for Franklin. So much for life settling down into something normal again. Jeff knew every code and password into every system onboard the Ascalon. If someone on the Vision had come close to breaking into his files earlier, they’d have no trouble now with Jeff helping them out. And working for Franklin meant he’d do anything in his power to beat Alex to the nebula, and the turbidium.

It was his job now.

“What’s wrong?” Evan burst through the door, eyes narrowed as he searched for the source of Alex’s trouble.

“Jeff just boarded the Vision. He’s working for Franklin now.”

Without a word, Evan strode straight for the main computer terminal on Alex’s desk and placed his silver-embedded palm over the input pad. “I take it he had full access?”

“Everything from accounting to the kitchens.” Alex walked to the front of his desk and leaned on the hard surface to stop his pacing. “I know the maps aren’t important, since they really don’t lead anywhere. And he already knows the details of my contract with Carpenter, since he filed it himself.”

Evan’s eyes were glued to the screen, but unfocused, as information sped by at an unreadable rate. “But he doesn’t know the maps are useless. And if he can get in, he can make changes.”

Alex stared in amazement at the speed of the data flashing by the screen. Evan didn’t seem to be watching it. “Kitts tells me you came up with some changes that could speed us up?”

“If they work.” Evan nodded absently. “That’s something we don’t want him finding out about either.”

It didn’t take long, but it felt like hours before Evan finally stopped and focused again on Alex. “Is that it? You can keep him out of everything?”

“Everything from accounting to the kitchens. Do you want to stop there or go farther?”

Alex wrinkled his eyebrows, still trying to absorb the facts. “Go farther? What do you mean, exactly.”

Evan shrugged. “Anything you want. The Vision is still close. I can get in from here and find anything you want. Or do anything you want.”

The temptation was incredible. Alex blinked, then sat on the edge of the couch beside his desk. “You mean, you could infiltrate the Vision’s computers from here?”

“I just need to send a data burst to one of their automated receivers, like a refueling port or hull temperature sensor. As soon as it answers, I can get in.”

“Franklin would never know you were there?”

“No one would know I was there.”

Alex stared at the floor for a long while, twisting the silver ring around on his finger as he thought. He could get Franklin’s maps. Or even put a few alterations in his programming, just enough to slow the Vision down for a few months. “He didn’t need Jeff, his crew was full, always has been.” He stood and paced the office slowly. “There’s only one reason for him to be over there.”

“To let Captain Franklin in on your habits,” Evan supplied. “Any information he could get on his only competition would be an asset and increase his chances.”

Jeff knew all of Alex’s moves and habits, with the one exception being the fact that he only mapped his route while already en route. That wouldn’t help Franklin, except maybe to give him a false sense of superiority.

“I can promise you, if I got in, they’d never know I’d been there.”

Alex stopped pacing. “I don’t want his files. I’ve never needed to work that way to win. I’m not . . .” He was going to say he wasn’t his father, but lately he couldn’t help feeling more and more like the man he’d never known. Suddenly a thought struck him. “I want them to know we could have.”

Evan looked up, eyebrows creased in confusion.

“He knows you’re here and who you are. So does Jeff. They might not realize what you can do, but I want to put the fear of God into them.”

“How, exactly?”

“The Vision is a lot like the Ascalon, with a main galley and kitchens in each of the officer’s living quarters. But Franklin also has an officers’ mess and always eats in there. Can you get to those programs?”

“Of course. Then what?” Evan turned to the console again and rested his hand on the machine.

Alex shrugged. “Switch the hot and cold? Change his inventory so they can’t access the coffee? Just . . . piss them off. But leave a trail, so eventually they know we were there. Then maybe Franklin and Jeff will realize what we could have done, but chose not to.” He looked at Evan hopefully. “Can you do that?”

“I can do that.” Evan’s eyes unfocused again as the screen flicked to life. “His aft water supply input just let me in.”

There was some deviousness in what Alex was asking Evan to do, but really nothing above simple vandalism. More like petty hooliganism. Certainly nothing as vile as the attempt that had been made to break into his PDA and find his private files.

“I’m reconfiguring the kitchen in the officer’s mess.”

“Good.”

It really was fascinating how Evan could do what he did. What must that be like? To basically have a computer in your mind, to be able to execute commands with your thoughts, or scan entire documents straight into your memory. The implications were mind boggling. It was a wonder the military didn’t employ this technique. Maybe they would, if they knew about it.

“Before you’re done, can you fix the shower in Franklin’s quarters?”

Evan nodded. With his eyes seemingly unfocused, he appeared almost absentminded. “I can make it stop working, or tell it he’s four foot three.”

Alex grinned wickedly. Thomas Franklin was six foot ten. “Do it.”

“Consider it done.”

He walked around behind Evan and looked at the screen, but couldn’t understand the binary codes flashing by. “I don’t want you to have the wrong impression or anything.”

“I don’t.”

“I normally wouldn’t do something like this.”

“You have a right to feel angry.”

“Jeff’s over there to spite me.”

“You fired him.”

“I never fired him.” Alex paced back to the front of his desk, shaking his head. “He quit. He just turned into this bigoted, self-centered jerk over night.” Just like me.

Evan stood. “I’m finished.”

Alex looked up, blinking his surprise. The computer screen was back to its usual display of the Pendulum Nebula and a distance counter, slowly ticking off the time since the launch. “You’re done?”

“Unless you want me to do more. The Vision will be out of range soon, but I can get in again if you establish audio contact with him. Those receivers are much more powerful and I can get through without being detected, but it’s trickier.”

“No,” Alex shook his head. “No, I think we’ve done enough. For now, at least.” He glanced around the office, trying to get his thoughts together. They seemed to be scattered all over the place. That happened a lot lately. “Day shift is over. There’s nothing more I feel like doing today. What about you?”

“I found some problems with the fuel mixture in Engineering. According to what I found, the plasma distributors have been set to factory specifications, but that setting doesn’t utilize their full capacity.”

Alex felt a headache coming on, but this sounded promising. Anything that could now give him a speed edge over the Vision had to be worth hearing. “So I’ve got equipment I’m not using to its full potential?”

“No, the installers weren’t using it to its full potential,” Evan corrected. “You and your engineering staff were doing exactly what you were told by the installers. And doing a good job, judging by the condition I found. If I’m understanding it correctly, the engines are in excellent shape.”

The compliment made Alex blink, then smile. “Yeah? Well, I try to surround myself with good people.” He nodded toward the exit and started to leave the room, Evan beside him. “So, what did you find?”

They returned to their cabin while Evan explained his findings. A purer mixture of fuel would greatly increase their speed and efficiency. He’d learned all of this from scanning the specs and documented data after Alex had surprised him with his new responsibilities upon Jeff’s departure. The idea still needed to be tested, but after running several computer simulations with Kitts, they were both confident the procedure would work. Kitts would test the new mix first thing in the morning and if all went well, the Ascalon would experience enough of a burst in speed to leave the Vision far behind.

“That’ll be a nice surprise for Franklin, right after his morning shower.” Alex grinned over his cup of coffee while Evan cleared their plates from the counter.

“Assuming he uses the same settings he already has, we should reach the outer edge of the Nebula a full three weeks ahead of the Vision.”

“He will.” Alex set the cup down and stared at the vast expanse of space he could see through the large window. “Franklin’s one of the most predictable men I know. In fact, I could have predicted he’d try to hire Jeff the minute he heard he was available. I just never expected Jeff to accept.”

Evan poured another cup of coffee for himself and leaned against the counter a few feet away from Alex. “Why not? In your competitive world, it makes perfect sense. He obviously knows more about you than anyone, so with his help Franklin stands a much better chance than without him. And if Franklin wins, so does Jeff as a member of his crew.”

“Don’t remind me.”

“That’s one reason your father bought me. People in power, especially wealthy people who can make or break the wealth and power of others, rarely have friends or anyone they can trust implicitly. Spencer needed what I could do, but I think he also needed to know there was someone he didn’t have to be so careful around all the time. Someone he knew would never speak a word of what he said or did. Someone he could trust.”

Alex turned his head and gazed at Evan. “And you’re lumping me into this category?”

He shrugged. “You’re in a position to make Mr. Carpenter a disgustingly wealthy man. You have, by virtue of me, a power most people both fear and covet. And you’ve already begun to trust me with your ship.”

“Well, unlike my father, I don’t think I need to worry about business partners stabbing me in the back.” Alex finished his coffee and took the cup to the sanitizer.

“You think Jeff did that, figuratively.”

Alex had to wonder just how ignorant he’d been all this time, thinking Jeff was a different person. That he was a better person. Not like . . . well, not like Alex had been the first day he arrived on Cryian II. He sighed and rubbed his eyes tiredly. Had he really been that much of a jerk? “What about you? Was my father someone you could trust?”

“He was my Keeper.”

“That’s not much of an answer.”

Evan’s eyes narrowed and he shook his head once. “Spencer wasn’t someone people trusted.”

Alex leaned back against the counter. “Including you?”

Evan moved away from the galley and walked to the window, looking out at the stars. “It wasn’t important for me to trust him, only for him to trust me. And he did.”

“Well, I’m obviously no judge of who to trust.” Alex shoved himself away from the counter and headed for his room. “I need some sleep. We can try changing that plasma mixture in the morning.”

“First thing, providing it works the way I think it should.”

“Good.” He opened the door to the bedroom. “I want to get as far away from the Vision as we can, the sooner the better.”

“Consider it done.”

He wanted to. More than anything. And from the confidence in Evan’s voice, Alex actually believed he could. Just that morning, he was sure things were settling down into their usual routine. Even with this new addition to his life, everything had gone smoothly. Launch was flawless as usual. Franklin was right where he’d expected to find him, still courting the press before leaving Scotian space. The Ascalon was in perfect working condition. And as a bonus – one that he’d almost forgotten about – he stood to finally achieve his ultimate goal of full ownership of his beloved vessel. Providing he was successful.

Never in a million years would he have believed Jeff could switch sides. But then again, he’d never expected his former second-in-command to ever quit. Alex sighed heavily as he crawled into his bed. He stared at the ceiling instead of through the window into the beautiful inky black of space. The room was lit softly by the glow of a million stars, causing the intricate mural of a fictional green nebula painted above his head to come alive. It suddenly occurred to him that he and Evan hadn’t argued about a thing that day.

Great. When everything else is upside down, he and I get along. Did that mean when things around them straightened out, they’d be butting heads again? Well, no matter. Alex had a feeling nothing was going to settle down again. That this new version of his life – the one where everything he thought he knew suddenly stood up and slapped him in the face – was soon going to seem quite commonplace. Hell, he might even reach a point where he looked back at that day in VanHolt’s office as the good old days! Wouldn’t that just figure?

Actually, he had to admit it felt almost refreshing to spar verbally with Evan. At least the guy didn’t hold back what he thought or let Alex continue with a false impression of the facts. Something that surprised him, after learning Sha’erah were the ultimate in Yes Men. He might have to obey a command, but he certainly made no bones about how he felt. I wonder how Spencer liked that? That is, if Evan talked to Spencer that way.

He probably didn’t. Judging from what little he’d asked tonight, it didn’t seem like Evan cared to discuss Alex’s father much. And Alex didn’t feel he had the right to push it. There were other things he wanted to know, but hadn’t found the right way to ask. Like what it felt like to basically bring an entire computer system into his own mind and manipulate data like it was nothing.

Alex forced his eyes closed. It was nearly midnight already and he had a full day ahead. If he didn’t fall asleep in the next fifteen minutes, he might have to consider a sleep aid. Too much was going on, too many things had happened in way too short a time. He wanted to get more speed out of their ship, leave Franklin shocked and behind, struggling with a dysfunctional shower.

That sudden reminder nearly made him laugh. He felt like an errant school boy! Pulling pranks for no reason other than to irritate. This time he had a reason and some help. He hoped Evan didn’t think less of him for that indulgence in petty revenge. Stealing the man’s maps through the nebula would have been more painful a blow, but not something he wanted to resort to. Let Franklin do what he must, but Alex had his morals. It didn’t matter what anyone else did, in the long run. He could only be judged by his own actions. And unless he was mistaken – which was certainly something he was doing a lot lately – Evan seemed to have enjoyed the little vandalism as well.

God, go to sleep! If he fell asleep in the next ten minutes, he could get a good six hours before the alarm went off. Evan’s talents were about to pay off in a big way, he needed to be awake for it. Idly he had to wonder what else his Sha’erah was going to prove capable of. Not that he could ask for more than he was about to get. Shaving off three – even one or two – weeks from their journey could mean the difference between success and failure. He had to win! He had to get the Ascalon and be free of his constant search for funding.

He had to get to sleep!

__________

“The time is now 0530 ship’s standard time. You have one message.”

Next Chapter

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