“You've been down to see it?”
“Yes, it's sad seeing it in such disrepair.”
“You're telling me,” Ashley added from the helm. Her controls were locked, there was little to do other than watch proximity and ensure they were holding position. “I couldn't help but get a little weepy when I saw all our stuff lined up in little piles. It's like I didn't realize Captain might scrap the ship until I saw he had our kits cleared out. Then, that's been happening a lot lately.” she said quietly.
“What's that, Ashley?”
“Me getting weepy. I guess it's just with everything changing. It's been like that for months, but then you just got here so-”
“Don't worry, things will level out, at least for a while,” Oz reassured her with a little smile.
“You think?”
“I know. I was in the service a long time, you get a sense of when a crew starts finding their rhythm and I think we're there.”
Ashley smiled back at him and nodded. “Hope you're right. Maybe I could get a couple days off.”
“I think we could all use a couple days.”
Ayan strode onto the bridge and sat down beside Oz. She nodded at him curtly as she transferred her connection with Security Chief Vega to the command display. She was affixing another antenna wire to an exposed part of the station superstructure beside the thick interior door. “Perfect. Sorry I led you to the wrong connection before,” Ayan apologized.
“You couldn't have known that support had been destroyed further in. I'm just glad Ronin took a more detailed scan,” Stephanie replied.
“Have you seen life support systems on your way through?”
“They're fried as far as I can tell. Looked like someone hit them with a small explosive.”
“All right, watch your team's power levels. With your gravity compensation packages you will only have a few hours of power. You'll have to return to the Cold Reaver to recharge if you start getting low.”
“I have been, thank you Commander. I'll hold position here with a squad just in case they open the doors and feel like talking.”
“Good, contact me if anything comes up.” She turned to the communication station, where Jason and his officers directed the efforts of many more technicians in the intelligence office. “Start broadcasting a hail to the people inside please. Emphasize that we've forced the surrender of the raiders, identify us as the Free Carrier Triton.”
“Yes Ma'am,” Cynthia replied.
Oz looked Ayan up and down. It was the first time he'd seen her in a Triton uniform. “Black looks good on you,” he whispered.
“What?” she looked down. “Oh, thank you. Feels pretty familiar actually. I'm just glad they're thicker than Freeground uniforms, even without the armour plating.”
“Have you tried the plating?”
Ayan nodded. “I took mine off before returning to the bridge. Moves really well but it'll take a while to get used to.”
“Don't think Jake will want you on an excursion team? Agameg and I were just talking and I think we agree that he'll want to keep a few of those smaller ships. There are two more thirty meter ones landing right now.”
“I can't see why not. Whole lot of work waiting to happen though.”
“I think the deck crews are up to it.”
“The deck crews? I'd think an engineering team would be more appropriate. They're not starfighters, the smallest of the longer range ships is the same mass as the Samson.” She scrolled through the tactical display and found another, larger ship with engine and power system damage. “Then there's this one. Ninety six meters long and perfectly serviceable. I'm sure he'll make it a priority as soon as we get the Triton’s new engines installed.”
Ayan was on edge, he'd known her long enough to see there was trouble right away. “Everything okay?” he asked quietly.
“I'm fine. It's just been a long day and it's only eleven.”
“It just seems that something's up. I've got a handle on things here if you want to grab something to eat or get some coffee.”
Ayan sighed and discreetly pressed a couple of buttons on the arm of her chair, bringing up the sound dampeners around them so the rest of their conversation wouldn't carry across the bridge. “Jake and I had a row.”
“Oh, what happened?”
“I pushed him, kept on him, asking what's wrong. I didn't like the answer.” She shrugged and dropped the dampener field.
Oz raised it again. “What was the answer?”
“I don't want to talk about it.” She cleared her throat and shifted in her seat as she brought up a detailed schematic of the Palamo.
“It might help.”
“Not now, Oz.” She flicked the dampening field off irritably.
“I'm here if you need me,” he whispered.
“Thank you.”
“I'm going to get some coffee, want one?” Oz asked.
“You don't have to do that you know, you're in command.”
“I need to stretch my legs. So what'll it be?”
“Mocha, thanks.”
He put his hand on her arm for a moment and caught her eye. “It'll be all right,” he reassured. “Believe it.”
She smiled at him wanly. “Thanks Oz.”
Ayan watched him leave the bridge. There was a conference room right across the hall that could serve as a galley. The materializer there was particularly quick and well calibrated.
“What? He's not going to ask if anyone else wants something? Rude,” Ashley whispered to Larry.
“Oh, what would you like Ash?” Ayan asked, knowing the younger woman didn't realize she was overheard.
Her look of alarm and immediate blushing made Ayan grin. “Oh, I didn't mean! I mean, I was just kidding!” she whispered in a rush.
Ayan looked up Ashley's last materializer order and nodded to herself. “Oz, can you get Ashley a hazel nut Columbian coffee with two cream?”
“Hazel nut with two cream, gotcha. Anything else?”
“Anyone else want something?”
“Oh, have him get a double cappuccino for me?” Laura called out from her energy field specialist station.
“Oh, that sounds good. One for me too please,” Jason looked to the Cynthia and the other two communications officers. “You guys want anything?”
“Just a regular coffee,” Cynthia added.
The other two shook their heads.
“Did you get that, Oz?” Ayan asked with a broad grin.
“Yes, Crewcast kept track. You'll pay for this, you know.”
“Thaaank you.!” Ayan replied sweetly to the restrained mirth of the bridge staff. “I'll send a security officer to help.”
One of the four guards on bridge duty nodded and started for the door.
“Ayan, the comm unit Chief Vega hooked up is transmitting. It's the station Foreman,” Jason announced from the communications station.
She looked at him, slightly surprised. “That was quick. Make the Captain aware and ensure that he can listen in.”
Cynthia opened the connection to Captain Valance and explained; “The station has made contact sir, Ayan's ready to take the comm. No, she hasn't started speaking to them yet.” Cynthia looked confused for a moment and replied; “Yes sir.” She looked to Ayan then, and glancing at Jason who was listening in passively as he reviewed other information, relayed the Captain's instructions. “He says he trusts you to make the right decisions for the crew and you should handle things with the station for now. He seems busy with the Palamo.”
“Time to put the diplomacy segment of Officer's training into play. Good luck,” Jason grinned.
“You have more training in that area, perhaps-”
“Nope, it's all you. Putting the station through right now, Commander.”
Ayan whipped her head forward to make eye contact with a nondescript blue avatar that was a place holder for a holographic image of who she was speaking with. It was an indication that they could see her, but there was no video or holographic signal from their end. “This is Commander Ayan of the Free Ship Triton.”
“Thank you for your assistance with the raiders! Do you have a Commission ident or Commerce License number for this region?”