Beyond

Chapter 1 - VASH 1

"How long before we reach the beacon," I asked, stifling a yawn.

"Two more hours, Captain," replied Gurpreet, as she tapped the console with her tubular digits.

Screw it, I yawn. "Great, time to crack a beer then." I stood, stretched, and looked around my crew. Except for Gurpreet, they're just as bored. We've been heading towards the coordinates for a while, with very few entertainments. Although the Sigil can do long distances, it's rare we use it that way because it's so small. But Marn convinced us -

"You. Marn convinced you," Dr. Bell would undoubtedly correct me. Fine, Marn convinced me that responding to the beacon would be profitable. Something about how it's officially salvage because it's been seven years adrift. Speaking of Marn, where is that rat bastard?

"Probably in the kitchen with the Kerns," Gurpreet answered, efficient as usual. Man, she was great. I never expected that my favorite and longest crew member would be an Ophtalian. I always worried that she'd eventually fall in love with me and I'd have to turn her down. I mean, I'm an open-minded guy and all, but their eye-head grosses me out. Luckily, she told me I was too young for her tastes. Heh, I never thought that at 41, I'd be see as a youngling. Still nothing worse than being unable to reciprocate an attraction to a infatuated crewmate.

"Is she destroying anything in there?"

"She's on the ceiling," Gurpreet answered, myrth in voice.

"What?!" I stalked out of the bridge. Dr. Bell and 5K followed me to see the scene. Did they have a bet on this fight? They often did... Sometimes, I'm sure Marn is on it to keep part of the winnings.

"Marn! The fuck!" I yelled as I saw her hanging upside down. She grinned, whiskers twitching in delight.

"Just testing out my magnet boots!"

"You're going to damage the ship's integrity! Not to mention you're leaving footprints everywhere! Get down from there!"

"Nah!" She dodged my attempt to knock her down with my broom. Little shit!

"5K," I called to the robot, "can you get her down?"

"Affirmative," it replied. It often acted serious and proper, but in truth it was mischievous. Some people have instant disdain for artificial life-forms. Can't say that I do - they're like all organics. Some are good, some are jerks, some are sexy some are murderous. Most are weird. 5K isn't an exception; it's made up from five other smaller bots each with their own designation and personality. When they amalgamate, they become 5K. They usually stay like that unless a situation demands that they disassemble. Lucky for me, 5K doesn't mind that I keep calling it 5K even when they aren't complete. I can't remember all their combinations. I have Gurpreet for that.

"Ah!" cried Marn as she fell face first. 5K activated a small EMP burst near her, shorting out the boots. I crack a smile, but it quickly disappears as Dr. Bell glared at me.

"If she broke a bone, I'm holding you accountable," he said. He's a bit of a stick in the mud, but he's got a good heart. Like myself, he was an officer in the Confederation of Worlds. Unlike myself, he was unjustly court-martial after he refused to do a medical malpractice on some important ambassador. He got a hate-on for the C.O.W. ever since, but his Hippocratic oath is still intact.

"She's fine," I waved him off as he scanned her. Marn was a tough little bucket being a Rinnian and all. They were short but damn resilient. I stopped counting the times I thought she died in an explosion.

"Ah man, I hope they aren't broken," she pulled the boots off. "Do you know how much I paid for those?"

"Let me guess, nothing?" I snarked.