Ayan glanced at her main display and saw that Jason had brought up the Triton’s transponder information, which didn't include any kind of sector registration information but still marked it as a Sol Defence Systems Vessel. There were two other registrations beneath, the most current of which was a Core Worlds Commercial Licence number for hauling and freelance law enforcement for the Samson. It was the most up to date Licence they had on file. She highlighted it and sent the information over, trying not to cringe. “We've been in deep space for some time and haven't re-registered this vessel, but we do operate legally through another licence that's more current.”
“Thank you. On behalf of Ossimi Ring Station I'd like to thank you for your assistance with the raiders. After the Eden Fleet disabled our defences and some kind of virus killed our workforce we didn't think it could get any worse. I'm Forewoman Amanda Dimitri.”
“You're welcome. It turns out that the raiders were part of a slave crew and we've managed to subdue the commanding officers. Our people are tending to the slaves and disarming their control devices now.”
“How fortunate for them. I'm wondering if you have adequate personnel to assist us with our power and life support problem. We had to disable most of our own critical systems in the outer sections in order to slow the raider's progress. Now we're down to four contained high gravity suits and it'll take us months to repair even a small section of the station. We have the spare parts and a few portable systems, we just can't get them into place within a reasonable time frame.”
“I can spare two teams and assist personally,” Ayan replied with a reassuring smile.
Oz arrived on the bridge with a security guard carefully balancing a tray filled with spill proof safety cups. He walked to the communications station so Jason could fill him in.
“In return I ask that you provide us safe harbour long enough to affect repairs on our ship. It should only take about two standard days.” Ayan finished.
“Certainly. After the support systems are in place we will be able to assist you. We have some of the best technicians in the sector.”
“Take three teams, Ayan.” Oz added. “We're in good shape.”
“One more thing, Commander.” The Forewoman asked. “I request that you remove any armed personnel you may have on the station. I'm sure you realize that after the ordeal we've had over the last week we're a little wary.”
“All of our ships are armed, and I'm not willing to have my teams drift across in that kind of gravity but I can promise you that they will be unarmed.”
“That's acceptable.”
“All right, I'll be seeing you soon, Forewoman.”
The communication line closed and the blue holographic torso disappeared. “So, you're going unarmed?” Oz asked as he took the command seat.
“I'm going to have two squads stay in the Cold Reaver on a live comm channel and the whole technician crew is going in armoured vacsuits. I don't have enough information to trust these people.”
“So something seems off to you too, huh?”
Ayan nodded as she took her coffee from the tray. “I don't want to spend more than six hours on that station. We should be able to make a difference in that time with our own equipment.”
“Good luck. I'll be watching the comm line from here. If you need anything just say the word.”
“I hope we don't. Where's the Cold Reaver right now?”
Oz checked the remote flight control status display. “It's just about to dust off from the station. Looks like the Clever Dream will get here first. Jake's got a load of slaves ready to be processed. He's ordered almost all the security personnel down to the main hangar to register them and give them each a comm and location bracelet.”
“Isn't it a little early to trust these people? I know they've had a hard go of it, but we've got to screen them somehow.”
“And we are. The databases from Jake's bounty hunting days were all updated this morning. He's got about a quarter trillion entries there, so if someone's not listed then they were born on a scrub colony.” Jason replied.
Ayan shook her head. “It's like he's made for this sort of thing. There's a lot I — we don't know.”
“I could tell you a few things if you take me with you,” Ashley offered cheekily. Larry nudged her and cleared his throat quietly. “Sorry, if we go with you.”
“Bugging to get off ship Ash?” Oz asked with a raised eyebrow.
“There's nothing happening here, sir. Darris can take my shift, he and his navigator passed his qualifier.”
“I know,” Oz smiled. “You're stuck here for a while. Jake wants you ready for something else.”
“Do I get to know what it is?”
“He hasn't posted the details yet, but I'm not going to reassign you, sorry Ash.”
“Huh, weird,” Ashley said as she turned back to the helm and rechecked their position. “Well, can't complain. It's not like there's a nice sandy beach down there or anything.”
“Nothing's changed,” Larry reassured her, pointing to the main navigational hologram. “We're still right where we're supposed to be.”
Ayan couldn't help but smile at Ashley's ease at her station and everyone around her. She wished she could be so light hearted. “I'm off, see you in a few hours.”
“Chief Grady says he'll have three teams meet you in hangar two,” Jason told her as she passed. “He almost signed up himself, but didn't want to add to the long list of people leaving the ship.”
“Concerned?”
“As long as we keep everything under control, no. Just be careful. If anything even looks like it might go wrong it'll be better to over react than to get caught by surprise while we're stretched thin.”
“Be careful, be watchful, I know. Don't fuss,” Ayan replied.
Chapter 11
Ayan had checked the armoured layer of her uniform into the foredeck armoury and barely noticed the pair of Triton guards who watched over the security desk as she checked it back out. She was too wrapped in her own thoughts. She didn't know when it happened exactly, but she had started thinking about her argument with Jake again. The thoughts seemed to drift between that and her mother's heartfelt farewell when she left Freeground. It seemed like her mother, the Admiral, wanted to make a real effort at making amends with her daughter. She'd promised to do so before, more times than she could count ever since she registered for junior cadets when she was fourteen. She'd signed up while her mother was deployed, knowing that getting involved with the military would frustrate her to no end. Jessica Rice wanted more for her daughter, to become a scientist or doctor or other well respected specialist.
Ayan remembered her need to rebel, her urge to get away from the cushy quarters her and her mother lived in, surrounded by other military brats. The junior cadets, and a month later the Junior Military Academy seemed perfect and she even got the blessing of her guardian, Felicia Morrow. Ayan never understood that, she was sure that Felicia knew her mother would be furious at her for letting her daughter enter the cadet program.
The first six weeks were hell. They called it Junior Program Conditioning, but it was boot camp, pure and simple. They did everything they could to get them in shape, wear them down and strip them of their personal identities. Between the constant exertion, classes, sleep deprivation, drills and removal of privacy they almost succeeded.
After those six weeks Ayan felt stronger, like she had accomplished something all on her own for the first time in her life. Amidst her feelings of pride and fresh confidence she gained a new respect for her mother. It was something she didn't reveal to her for long years.
Boot camp came to a close and when she was given the choice she signed up to join the Junior Military Academy. There was no going back, she'd found what she wanted to do and within the first year she enrolled in the starship engineering program. The regular combat and standard forces training was mandatory, so she underwent all the rigours of the infantry while taking the officer and engineering courses. Some days she barely had the energy to attend the advanced mechanics and science classes she'd added to the already filled curriculum. Her scores were always high, so they allowed her to do it, but thinking back she wouldn't recommend it to anyone.