Keeping Silence

Chapter 3

I pull up alongside of the ship in the pouring rain. As I sit up, water runs down my back, soaking my back and jacket. I swear out loud as quickly hop off the bike and walk over to the keypad. I punch in the numbers, the first time I screw up, and the second goes through. I walk back to the bike, grab the handle bars and then walk it up the ramp.

Once I reach the top of the ramp, all the lights turn on in the back room. I lay my bike on one of the walls in an empty space, and Silence flicks on my eyepiece.

"Such a strange place. This is nothing like the models I was shown."

"I made a few modifications." I take off the earpiece as Silence still continues talking. I open up one of the compartments and toss the earpiece in. Silence turns on the speakers.

"What are you doing?!"

"I need some sleep, and I can't have you messing around with the computer systems." I close the door to the compartments, and Silence is cut off before she can say anything else.

I walk into the cockpit area, and start up the ship. It takes a bit for the engine to turn over, but once they do, I radio the closest tower for takeoff permission.

"This is the Blue Ray," I shake my head at the name "requesting permission for takeoff and one jump."

"Request denied for jump, space is too busy. Wait five minutes and then make the hyper-jump."

"Roger that, thanks." I cut the mike and slap my hand on the control panel. I need to get back as soon as possible, for the bonus. Since they denied my take off, I'll be cutting it close. Not my style, I like to be very early. No, I'm not a kiss-ass, just like to show I put all my effort into my contracts.

I flip on one of the holo-screens and surf the Internet while waiting for the tower to contact me back. I look around on one of the United recruitment websites. Propaganda, that's what is it. Archer's brother joined, well was taken and he never came back. No word about if he was killed, or what not. Archer was crushed, and I did all I could to comfort him. He eventually gave up and fell into a depression for about a year and a half. The only thing to bring him out of it was a 'simple' contract with me. 'Simple' because it turned out to be a false lead, and we had no way to get out. I got hit in the shoulder, and he had to cover our backs and help me escape the place. I think the reality of the situation brought him through the fog of the depression.

"Blue Ray, please respond Blue Ray." The radio breaks me out of the memory flashback.

"This is Blue Ray."

"You are cleared for takeoff and your jump as requested."

"Thank you." I switch off the radio and flip a few switches that begin the takeoff procedure. The ship shutters as it leaves the ground, the old landing gears drawing in only makes it worse. Once I leave the atmosphere, I flip the countdown switch for the hyper-jump and the countdown begins. I get up and walk back into the backroom where Silence waits. I flip open the container, and grab my earpiece. I wrap my hand around it tightly so I don't hear Silence yelling at me. I hold it near a holo-screen and an electric shock runs through the earpiece and screen.

"WHAT WAS YOUR PROBLEM?" Silence shows up on the screen, an angry look on her face.

"Quite. Just make sure the ship gets back to Jenova. Twenty seconds left..."

I walk right next to the holo-screen to a door and press 3-4-9-2 in the keypad. The door opens and I step in, turn around and the door closes. Silence's voice plays over the speakers.

"Is that a cryo-chamber?"

"Yes Silence, it is." I press the same numbers in again, and a white smoke starts to drift down from the vents. "Make sure to wake me if there are any problems."