Sunderbans K: The beginning of the Ky Epic

IV

Mostrel Occupied Territory

Mechant's Hidden Station

Leander gasped "Mariel, honestly!" she stopped and looked all around, "Where are you!" Then the small maintenance person appeared from behind a pylon across from Leander. Leander shook her head and supported herself on a pylon while she tried to catch her breath.

"I'm sorry, Leander." Mariel replied.

"You just... just stay... right there... young lady."

"Yes ma'am."

Zeerith arrived. "Little One, is that you?" Mariel lifted up her hat and smiled.

"But, this coat, the glasses, and what have you done to your hair?" Mariel giggled. "Incognito."

"My foot!" Leander managed.

"I put my hair up so it would make the hat a little higher."

"You always were a clever girl." Zeerith commented.

"Come on, since you figured me out, I'll buy a round of drinks for us all."

"You're underage." Leander countered.

"Technically, yes, but out here, in this system, on this station. No." Mariel said smiling.

Leander finally caught her breath. "Smarty. Fine, get me a drink. I need something after this wild goose chase."

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Sigor led Jonathan through the station to the pylon where the Crucible was docked. A security code was uttered and the door slid open slowly. Inside, the ship was fairly quiet with an occasional bang and electrical snap indicating that repairs were being accomplished. They came to a "T" in the corridor, Sigor and McAlester turned right, toward the bow. After passing several doors, Sigor opened his quarters, near the bridge. He waved his arm, allowing Jonathan to enter first.

The room was fairly small. Sigor's chair was in front of a viewport. Before it was a desk that took up a good bit of room. There were three chairs facing the desk. Shelves on both sides of the room contained books, items, coins, an old mechanical clock and dozens of pictures about.

"How 'bout a drink, Jon?"

"Brandy," he replied, knowing what the ship's captain kept in his stores. "You told me you were going to rearrange things," Jonathan said while looking around.

Sigor opened up his cabinet and retrieved the necessary items, poured the drinks and brought them to where Jonathan was standing. "Sit, sit. Make yourself comfortable. This is the same office you had some years back."

"Nine."

"Well, time seems to change, as one gets older- you'll see." Sigor quietly sipped his drink. "Ah, yes. Now, we have rearranged things, Jon. Just not in here. It was not needed."

"Well, I haven't seen anything that is different. Seems like the same old Crucible to me."

"She is, I changed the location of the crew's quarters and the auxiliary bridge. They are now in the center of the ship." He turned and picked up a flat display and pressed the power pad. It did nothing. Sigor mused and pressed it again. Still nothing. Jonathan shook his head, took the tablet and pressed the pad with his thumb - adding a slight twist as he pressed it. The pad finally lit up and Jon handed it to Sigor who began searching through its files.