Empire's Legacy

Chapter 24: In Transit

Taz slid out from beneath the engines and went to the bulkhead. "Grey," he said, "how much longer am I going to have to keep this signal deflector operational? It's straining my engines and if I have to keep it going indefinitely I'm afraid that the vibration is going to start taxing hull integrity."

"We're well away from the quarantine line now," Grey said. "You can switch it off whenever's convenient."

Taz released the talk button. "'Whenever's convenient'," he muttered. "Would've been nice to know..."

Up on the bridge, Kate turned away from the flight console. "How do you want to do this, Cap?" she asked.

Grey rubbed his hand across his eyes. "How far out are we?"

She glanced at her instruments. "We should reach Elderia in about two hours, provided Taz keeps us together."

"That hopper pod from the Waratah is still in the cargo bay, isn't it?"

"Should be. I mean, we haven't unloaded any cargo except pieces of the Maritobah salvage since we docked with the Waratah. So unless Taz did something with it, it's still there."

He braced a hip against the captain's chair. "Right. That pod is fairly spacious—when we arrive, I'll head down to the settlement with Taz and Ramina and the biosuits Cam provided. You and Benji stay put. Maintain orbit above the settlement until I message you."

"Any idea how long you'll be?"

Grey shrugged. "No idea. Depends on the situation on the surface." He swallowed hard. "On what we find down there."

"You sure you don't want me in the pilot's seat?" Kate asked. "It's new tech, that hopper pod, and I'm a better pilot than you."

"Cheeky," he said. "I'd rather you up here in case we need to depart in a hurry."

"We expecting trouble, then?"

He sighed. "No, not specifically, just being prepared."

"I'll have Benji prep the pod for ship-to-dirt travel," she said, swinging back around to her console. "Anything else?"

"Not at the moment." He gazed blankly at the bulkhead and then said, "I wonder how our Doctor Jones is getting on."

With nothing else to do, Amy had been catching up on sleep. Not that she had a great deal of time—she'd forgotten that C-Prime was less than two days at top speed from where the Dominia had picked her up. The crew left her alone aside from bringing her food; Ashdown checked in on her occasionally, but never spoke beyond simple greetings. Cam had sent word via the signal box that there were disturbing rumblings coming through on underground channels, but he hadn't been able to trace their origins; he thought that dissenter groups on C-Prime and some of the other central planets were planning something, but hadn't been able to ascertain any further details. Stuck on a Commissioner ship and confined to quarters, there was little Amy could do.

Ashdown turned up at her door as they entered orbit around C-Prime, still dressed in his ship's uniform. A satchel hung from his arm; from years of experience with Commissioner officers, Amy knew his dirtside uniform was folded inside. He held a stack of clothes in his hands.

"Your father has been contacted," he said, standing just inside the door. "He'll be expecting us."

"Oh, goody," Amy said, hunching her shoulders and drawing her knees up to her chest. Getting to her father was the whole point, but even knowing that didn't erase the slightly sick feeling in her stomach. She raised her eyes to Ashdown's hands. "I don't suppose that's a change of clothes for me? I've been in this outfit for three days and I stink."

He was silent for a moment, and then finally said, "Interestingly enough, Annieka, it seems you still belong in uniform." He held out the clothes.

"Excuse me?" She took the pile of fabric from his hand and shook it out to find a Commissioner uniform with an ensign's bars on the sleeve. "You have to be kidding me." The outrage in her voice wasn't feigned; while she might disguise herself in Commissioner uniform on occasion, she hadn't worn one in truth in a very long time—and had no interest in doing so. She let the uniform dangle from her fingers, and then dropped it to the deck.

Ashdown leaned against the bulkhead and crossed his arms. "I did a bit of digging. It's a funny thing, you know. You were a cadet from the time you were 16 until you were 18. Your father bought you a commission, and legally you are still a commissioned officer. Technically you may have never served, since your service was deferred when you entered the University at 18. But technically you never left, either. Seems like on top of the trouble you're already in, you're AWOL and due for a court martial." He studied her for a moment and then added, "Also, it's a curious thing—you seem to have vanished after University. Annieka Brenner pops up occasionally in reports, but there's a decade of records with almost no mentions. That's a pretty impressive absence. I'm curious as to where you've been for the last decade."

Amy leaned back on her elbows. "Here and there. Not really any of your business, Captain."

"Maybe so," he said, "but it's a considerable gap in the records all the same. Especially for the only daughter of such an important man."

"If you were hoping for answers, I'm afraid I won't be giving you any today." She stood. "You said it was time to go?"

"You have a uniform to change into, Ensign."

She folded her arms. "I am not wearing that. You can threaten me all you like, but I haven't been part of the Commission in years."

"Legally you've been AWOL for a decade, Annieka."

"Captain Ashdown, you've already threatened me with my father. Do you really think I find court martial frightening?" She raised her eyebrows at Ashdown and stared him down for a moment. Then, considering, she added, "You know as well as I do that my father will never allow me be court martialed. He's too powerful to let something like that smear his career."

"I wonder," he murmured. "Your conspicuous absence in the past ten years makes me curious as to what else you've been up to that might cause problems for Seamus Brenner's career."

She picked up the uniform's trousers and held them up to her waist. "I wouldn't dig too deeply, Captain. You may regret it—I disappeared for a reason." Sighing, she said, "Now, if you don't mind, I think I might change my trousers. I'll be out in a moment if you care to wait."

Ashdown pulled an antique pocket watch from the jacket of his uniform. "Mind you're quick about it. We'll be docking at C-Prime's military port soon. There's a transport waiting to take us to your father."

"Goody," Amy muttered as he went out the door. "I do so love family reunions."