On the Run

 

All was quiet aboard the ship as they traveled through hyperspace. Anna sat staring out the viewport as Karis worked the controls, talking with Eric. Jenna sat in nearby seat, nursing a mug of warm tea. 

The view outside was amazing. Rainbow streaks of light. Hyperspace was still so unknown, although it was used constantly. Shortcutting the immense distances between stars, circumventing the fabric of time/ space. The only quicker way was a stargate. The huge cousins of the more prosaic Gates found throughout known space. Great lattices of energy in the cosmos- you went through one and you were somewhere else. The stargates were rare though. On this trip it was hyperspace. 

There was a momentary shake as they hit turbulence. Jenna pulled her blanket up. The ship was comfortable but she got cold sometimes. Anna found she liked her. They'd been getting to know each other a bit. They were friends of Moira's, or at least captain Karis was. The pilot station was expansive but comfortable, with pilot and navigator chairs and lights everywhere. There were passenger and guest chairs as well, a kitchen off toward the back. The captain and his navigator enjoyed spending time here, quiet. Looking out at hyperspace, music playing. The ship could run itself, especially with a plot laid in... but they liked to stay here. 

"I understand you've had some heat," Karis was saying. 

"We have," replied Eric. "Tantalus IV, Eridanus... Paxus. No idea who's after me... or why. Moira has suspicions. But..."

"Well," said Karis, "you ought to be safe here. We have a few stops to make before we hit Astra. But Moira thought you wouldn't mind. One of them is a Gate stop..."

Eric nodded, accepting a mug. Karis put his feet up on the console. They were quiet for a time. Eric thought about what Moira had told him before departure. His head was messed up. Memory suppression, tampering. 

Why? 

She didn't know, didn't have time for telepathic interventions. Had to get him off world. Although if he wasn't safe on Paxus, where would he be?

The plan was to evaluate on Astra. She knew certain people, they could use the Ancients' psychic machinery to sort him out. 

In theory. 

Eric wasn't crazy about people fucking with his head, but what choice was there? And apparently they already had been- whoever "they" were. 

He took a sip as Jenna and Anna conversed in low tones. Jenna. A lovebot. Karis had confided that she was a former lovebot, awakened and now considered human. It wasn't a secret. She had told Anna. Were they... together? Not sure. But she was a phenomenal navigator. 

"We're going to stop off at Harkoon. A supply drop. Day or two. Then maybe another stop, possibly Sanctuary. Then we should do Astra." 

Sanctuary. 

A great station at the confluence of various star lanes- he hadn't been there. Immense. A layover point, a waystation. It was said anything you wanted you could get there. You know, for a price. 

"Sanctuary we'll have to be careful. If people are after you... you might want to stay aboard." 

"Right. A Sanctuary."

They both smiled. 

*******

Later Anna was luxuriating in the pool as Eric accepted a drink from a valet. A robot valet. He was sitting on the edge of an infinity pool, the water ending at a viewport overlooking space. They had come out of hyperspace, preparing to orbit their first stop. Eric could see a nebula in the distance. It was a view that never got old. 

"How are you?" Anna asked. He hadn't seen her swim over. 

"I'm alright," he answered. He put his hand in her wet hair and she smiled. They sat there for a while, looking out over the immensity of creation. 

"I like Jenna," she said. 

"I like them both," he replied. "I don't dare trust anyone completely, but they seem..."

She agreed. 

A bot came over. 

"Captain is requesting your presence on the command deck sir."

They sighed. 

"Time to be useful."