The Technician's Fight, Draft 1, CH47

Gralgiran stood to the side as the medics, with the assistance of the Quartermaster’s people, brought the pods to their species representatives. Each was accompanied by their own medics, as well as a security contingent. The prisoners were still within the ship, waiting for his signal. He wanted the patients taken away before bringing them out. The only ones still had to remain were the Kelsirians. The Fleet Commander had yet to arrive.

She did when most of the patients were being taken away. She seemed to be accompanied solely by soldiers, but a number of them detached to look over the Kelsirian pods.

“Calm is what you want to go for,” Toom said through the earpiece. “Fleet Commander Oshterim Tromak Delrikamar. First of her family to join the military. From what I’ve been told, she’s trying to prove herself to the Leadership, hoping to join them. No one would give me their theory as to why she’s trying so hard. She’s aligned herself with those against the hunters, or the gods within the command structures. There’s no record of her dealing with an Alpha at this point, so expect her to try to get you to do something she can report so her superiors can on it.”

Gralgiran stood to the side as the medics, with the assistance of the Quartermaster’s people, brought the pods to their species representatives. Each was accompanied by their own medics, as well as a security contingent. The prisoners were still within the ship, waiting for his signal. He wanted the patients taken away before bringing them out. The only ones still had to remain were the Kelsirians. The Fleet Commander had yet to arrive.

She did when most of the patients were being taken away. She seemed to be accompanied solely by soldiers, but a number of them detached to look over the Kelsirian pods.

“Calm is what you want to go for,” Toom said through the earpiece. “Fleet Commander Oshterim Tromak Delrikamar. First of her family to join the military. From what I’ve been told, she’s trying to prove herself to the Leadership, hoping to join them. No one would give me their theory as to why she’s trying so hard. She’s aligned herself with those against the hunters, or the gods within the command structures. There’s no record of her dealing with an Alpha at this point, so expect her to try to get you to do something she can report so her superiors can on it.”

Which explained her refusal to call him Alpha. Either she didn’t acknowledge the rank, or she was hoping to unnerve him.

“Fleet Commander,” he greeted her.

“Captain. Where are my prisoners?”

He sent the signal, and they were escorted out, those who had been accepted by the other species went to those representatives, while those heading to Kelser were stopped a few paces away from him and the commander.

She looked those heading away, displeased, but before she let him know about that, something caught her attention. “What’s that doing here?”

“What are you referring to?” He knew who she meant, but even if Toom had reminded him not to acknowledge his presence, Gralgiran wouldn’t have. He, and his pack were here, along with the others, because they had been part of the hunt on the station. They deserved to see the prisoners off.

“There’s an Earther within your soldiers.”

“Don’t correct her about that. Stick to what she’s looking at.”

He looked over his shoulder. “I don’t see any Earthers among my hunters.”

“Okay, that works,” Toom said.

“How can you miss the one without fur?”

“He’s Kelsirian.”

“Who in their right mind would—”

“Oh,” Toom said with too much glee. “Someone almost forgot she’s the one trying to make you screw up.”

She studied Gralgiran, who looked back, aiming for bored.

“Which ones are the scientists?”

He nodded toward the other species’s representatives. “With their respective species.”

She glared and growled. “You were told to keep some for the Leadership.”

“I never received orders to that effect.”

“You’re lying. I listened to the recording. The Admiral told you to arrange for some of them to—”

“That was a meeting to go over the results of my hunts. I reminded the admiral of the procedures for orders.”

“When the Leadership tells me to do something, I do it.”

“Don’t insult her.”

“How you go about doing things is your business,” he replied. “I follow procedures.”

“At least tone is subjective,” Toom said, “because I can tell she heard the derision too.”

“How about the mach—”

“All the packages destined for Kelser are with the pods.”

“Oh? What happened to doing things according to procedures?” She smirked.

He shrugged. “If you insist on it, I’ll retrieve it and hand it to you directly, in the open, where Federation representatives will see and be able to question why one of them was withheld.”

She glared again. “I’ll be making a full report, Captain.” She emphasized his civilian rank.

“I’m sure the Leadership will appreciate your dedication to your duties.”

With another glare, she ordered her soldiers to form up around the prisoners and pods, then led them away. The representatives had already left. He waited until the soldiers were out of sight before facing his hunters. The medics stood at the side, Toom behind them, among the watching station crowd.

“You have performed your duties admirably,” he intoned, louder than needed, so the crowd would hear. It didn’t hurt to show people hunters weren’t soldiers. “You have honored the gods in doing so. You can return home knowing they are proud of you.”

“Yes, Alpha!”

“Live, for the next hunt may be upon you without notice, and you may then find yourself within the Forest.”

“We are hunters! We die so others live!” They turned and headed within the ship, where, once out of sight, they would devolve into chaos as they ran to change and go to whatever they had planned for their stay at the station.

*

Jer’s head jerked left and right as if enemies hid behind every person they passed.

Gralgiran tightened his arm around his Heart. “If it’s too soon, we can return to the ship.” He felt the effort needed for Jer to still himself.

“No. I need this. I have to convince myself I’m still safe.”

“It was only part of your training.”

“But it reminded me the Earthers are still after me. I can’t let that turn me into a prisoner, even when they aren’t there. I can’t be a hunter if I do.”

“Of course you can. Hunters aren’t without fears, or—”

“I know. It’s not what I mean. This fear is irrational. I doubt that there are any Earthers on this station. So I don’t have to be afraid. And if there were. If they tried it. You’re here. I have training. They aren’t getting the drop on me and whisking me away without anyone noticing. So, I need to convince myself of that. And I can’t do that on the ship.” He smiled. “And you said I’d like where you’re taking me. I am not missing that for figments of my imagination.”

“I think you will.”

Not long after, they stepped off the concourse. And the corridors lost their shine.

“You know,” Jer said, with a nervous chuckle. “When I said I had to convince myself I was safe. That wasn’t a challenge to make it as hard as possible.”

“You’re safe, and the place we’re going to is tucked away, to avoid legal trouble.”

“You’re taking me to something illegal?”

“Not really. But he’s copying a service offered by a corporation, and he doesn’t want to risk them objecting. So he doesn’t advertize, and it’s hidden enough only those who know about it can find it.”

“And you know….”

“About a decade ago, I helped him out of trouble with some of the least pleasant members of the station.”

“So, this isn’t one of those ‘everything is perfect’ place?”

Gralgiran chuckled. “Those don’t exist. The only perfect place is the Forest.”

“But only if you make your gods happy, I’m guessing.”

“No, the Forest is perfect. That’s what it is. It’s exactly the kind of hunting ground you’ve always wished for. With the animals you’ve always dreamed of hunting.”

Jer chuckled. “What about those who don’t dream of hunting?”

“Every Kelsirian dreams of hunting. But if we get tired of the hunt, there are other places that will have the things we want.”

“What if someone doesn’t believe in your gods? Or actively doesn’t want to have anything to do with them?”

“Are you referring to yourself?” Gralgiran realized he’d never considered what his Heart’s future was, in regard to the gods.

“No, I mean I don’t believe in them. But I’m not opposed to them either. But there are some on the ship who aren’t fans of them. One of the medics, at least. She got into an argument with one of the hunters after the hunt. I didn’t hear the details. But she walked off, telling him to let his gods take care of him then. The tone wasn’t that of friendly banter.”

“I don’t know what the gods have in mind for them. Thuruksamian welcomes all of his children back, but he made us to have will, and our own desires. So, he respects that. Ballads have all kinds of stories around the concepts, but it’s one area where I think they reflect more the teller’s own beliefs than what is. I think that, in the end, if someone wants nothing to do with the gods and the Forest, Thuruksamian will simply send them off to their next life. It is our decision, ultimately, how long we remain in the Forest. It’s our reward for a lived life, not a sentence with a predetermined length.” He nodded towards a door. “We’re here.”

It opened onto a small lounge, where a heavier set male left a seat, spreading his arms.

“Gralgiran!” They hugged. “I was so pleased when you messaged me. It’s been too long.” He faced Jer. “And this must be your Heart. I’ve heard stories.” He hugged him, and Jer stiffened, then visibly relaxed before returning it.

“I’m glad to meet you too,” he replied in Federalize. “You can address me as Technician Jeremy Bradshaw. How should I address you?”

“You can address me as Perseral Grokromak Tiris. Purveyor of dreams, and in possession of the closest place to the Forest you will find.”

“Short of finding yourself on Kelser,” Gralgiran added.

The male snorted. “My rooms are even better than there.”

“Once you visit,” he said, “we can revisit the statement. But,” he told Jer, “they are very nice. And without the pretension or the crowds.”

“I have my best room ready for you. Sync your tablet once inside, and it’ll list all the available setting. I’ve added a few since your last time.” He led them to a door. “Will you have time before you have to return to your ship for my company? Either of you. I would quite enjoy getting acquainted with Gralgiran’s Heart.”

Jer looked surprised. “I’ll have to get back to you after. I don’t even know what I’m in for, other than Gral promised I’d enjoy it.”

“Well, you are with him, so you will enjoy whatever happens. Don’t worry about the time. You have the room for as long as you need it.”

“Thank you, Perseral. I’ll do my best not to occupy it any longer than needed.” The door opened onto a dark room, with the only light coming from outside. Once it closed, the darkness was total, then broken by his tablet’s screens as he looked over the selection of settings.

“Should a place inside a station smell this humid?”

The added settings explained why. “It’s on purpose.” They added possibilities he hadn’t considered. He selected the combination and activated it. The floor vibrated. “The sounds are normal.”

Jer chuckled. “I’ll take your word for it, because if I heard that on Einstein, I’d be calling maintenance.”

It took only slightly over a minute for his tablet to inform him everything was set, as the sounds ended.

He took Jer’s hand. “Watch.”

In the distance, the sun broke over the horizon with a flash of yellow that turned the sky dark purple. Over them, stars shimmered in the sky, and the waves reflected the little of the sun visible. The sound of the waves was now also audible.

“Wow,” Jer whispered. “How?

Gralgiran pulled him close. “Questions later. Enjoy now.”

The sun moved up, pushing the purple away, replacing it with reds, oranges, yellows. And then, the pale blues of home. As the light increased, the shore became visible. Gralgiran pulled Jer with him as he stepped to the edge of the water. His feet sank into the sand, then into the wet sand, and then water lapped at them.

“Okay, I need to know how that’s possible,” Jer said. “This looks like it’s larger than the station.”

Gralgiran chuckled. “The room’s no more than twenty meters deep, standard maximum for this part of that station. Probably no more than half that. The walls are projections. I don’t know how he achieved this level of realism. I suspect he stole the technology from the corporation that has the same kind of room available to the public.”

“The water? The sand?”

“You’ll have to ask him. He didn’t have that the last time I came. I enjoyed a night in a forest, watching the sky, listening to the animals.”

“Enjoying his company?”

“That, too.” He rubbed his muzzle against Jer’s cheek. “I don’t know when I’ll be able to show you an actual Kelsirian sunrise, so I wanted you so see the closest thing to them available.” He removed his Heart’s jacket. “And now, I get to make love to you under it, in the water.”

*

“And how deeply are you going to claw me, Master Constructor?” he asked the Shimbarian.

“You insult Tasibar,” the female replied. “I not have claws. Claws be things of beasts.” She showed him the blunt fingers to make her point.

“So I’m a beast?”

She snorted. “Beasts don’t have money. Friends have money.” She grinned.

“And Shimbarian friends take friend’s money in exchange for repairing his ship, right?”

She looked at her tablet. “How much money no-beast friend has?” she asked dubiously.

“If Tasibar wants to remain friends with this no-beast, she’s going to need no more than what her competitor quoted me for these repairs.” He waved his tablet to make his point.

“You not trust Tasibar?”

“Tasibar is the one questioning this no-beast’s account.”

She grumbled something in her language, looked over the information on her tablet, then quoted him a price. If not for what the Leadership had paid for their new station, the amount would have forced him to return to Kelser for the repairs, and placed himself within their reach for the months they would have taken, not to mention what other changes they’d decide to make to his ship.

Chairs for the captain to sit in were becoming the norm on military ships. He dreaded the idea of returning to his to find one of those where he should be standing.

The amount was within the range he, his Accountant, Repairs and Maintenance had reached, so he agreed and she told him two weeks for the repairs.

Another advantage of doing the repairs at a station. They wanted the berth available as soon as possible.