I went down the hall and found Travis in bed, his arm handcuffed to the frame. Damion was at his desk in his office which had a picture window overlooking his sickbay. He gave me a nod. He was obviously giving the two private-time together.
“How you feeling?” I asked Travis, as I came up to the opposite sided of the bed from Thomas. “You don’t look too worst for the wear.”
“Damion is a really exceptional doctor. A wizard with a bone fuser.” Travis complimented and moved his hoof, and formally broken leg, under the sheet. When he spied the doctor looking his direction, he raised a thumb’s up to the man behind the glass.
Damion smiled and went back to typing on his flat.
“I was telling Thomas how interesting he was going to find the rehab facility. They are looking into one on T-1627. It even has a small population of Carees. Thomas might want to stay there, or even go to his home planet once he learns the ins-and-outs.” He smiled at the boy and I saw his hand squeeze the kid's on the side of the bed.
“I have offered to testify on your behalf at the hearing when it comes up.”
“I appreciate that, 3su.”
I had my hand resting on the rail of the bed and he placed his over mine. It was the first time he had ever touched me.
“I appreciate all you have done for us,” he expanded on his previous statement.
“I’m glad it turned out the way it did. You helped make it a lot less traumatic.” I smiled and left the two to visit.
I had a lot of explaining to do – to parents, the academy, the refitting station crew, Daniel once he saw the AI crew, and eventually to the hearing board for Travis. I was exhausted just thinking about it.
My flat beeped and I looked at it over the top of my Muldavian Seltzer. I was killing time, sitting in a bar, down one of the many corridors of Refitting Station Quazar, waiting for Ma-rye-a to be repaired. It was Tiff.
“Hi, kid,” I responded when I saw her face on my screen. “Whatsup?” The five of them, including Thomas had kept in contact over the last month or so.
“Just thought you would like to know that Thomas passed his rehab testing and he can go to Caree or stay on T-1627. For now, he wants to stay close to Travis.”
Tiff had barely given Thomas time to contact me before she was spreading the good news. I just hung up from Thomas two minutes ago. He was happy and hopeful as we both waited for a decision from Travis’ hearing. It was good my seltzer was a cold drink, if it had been hot, it wouldn’t have been that way long.
“Good to hear,” I said with a smile. “How are you settling in at the academy? Classes going okay?”
They had a bit of a late start due to their delayed arrival, but the academy thought with the use of a tutor for each they could catch up. I had to fork out the funds, but it was worth it to keep them from missing out this term. Between that expense, the refitting and the replacement fuel cores, I was out a wad. I did what I normally did when I was short of funds, I checked into the spa when I arrived at the refitting station and spent the last of my liquid cash on a massage, facial and manicure. At this point a seltzer was all my budget would allow. I would have to kick the refitters out tonight so I could sleep in my ship. I couldn’t afford a room on the station.
“Classes are going good. Hard… but good,” she conceded. “Murdock is a great tutor.”
“I’m pleased you like him,” I said. He certainly costed enough.
Tiff was accepted into the translator program at the academy because she had an interest and already spoke nine languages without an auto-translator. Her tutor had been the most expensive. He spoke over fifty languages and came from a distant planet called Nugwi.
“I have another surprise for you,” Tiff announced. “Callen is here.”
Callen’s face moved in behind Tiff on the screen and he waved with a smile. Tiff moved out of her desk chair and let him sit down. She hovered in the background.
“Hi, bud. How you doing?” I didn’t usually talk to them together. Callen was clear across the campus from Tiff and they were in different classes and study groups.
“I am fine, and you, Captain, are going to be even better,” he exclaimed with a grin.
“Really?” I wondered what the kids had up their sleeve.
“I have been talking to my dad. He was very impressed with how you handled our little ‘detour.’” Callen chuckled. “Have you looked at your trader account recently? Like in the last ten minutes?” His grin had grown so wide I thought his face might split in half and Tiff’s was just as broad.
“No… I have been talking to Tiff for the last few minutes.” I gave them my ‘what-are-you-up-to’ look.
“You best check it out,” Callen said.
“Yeah,” Tiff added enthusiastically.
I swiped the side of the flat to bring up a split screen and opened my trader account. I am sure my eyes bugged out when I saw the balance. It had jumped six figures.
“What the…” I almost said a nasty word before I managed to reign in my shock.
“I confessed to dad it was all my fault. I thought he would be furious, but I knew it wasn’t fair you were blamed for the crash.” Tiff leaned in closer and put her hands on Callen’s shoulders.
“Was he furious?” I asked.
“Nope… He wanted to know how I did it. When I told him I wasn’t really sure at this point, he said I better study hard and learn how while I was at the academy, because he wanted to tap into that idea. He thought he could sell it for transport ships if we could control it better. My dad,” Callen said with an affectionate shake of his head, “always thinking of the credits he can accumulate.”
“So, Callen’s dad thought he should reimburse you for your trouble and repairs,” Tiff added. “I was supposed to keep you busy while they did the deposit to your account, so it would be a surprise.”
“Well, it certainly was.” I couldn’t believe my good fortune. Once I signed off, I was going to rent a plush suite for the next few days while they finished up Ma-rye-a. Maybe even have room service. Life was good.
Life got even better two days later. When I was sent a message from Targus via sub-space communication. They were on the move and really far away. It read…
“Word is that Travis will be released. Required to live on T-1627 for two years and report to rehab and security regularly, but if he keeps himself clean he will then be kicked free at the end of that probation period. Good going, 3su. You did well. Remind me to ask for you to testify at my trial should I ever have one.” Targus and Crew.
I just finished reading when there was a buzz on my suite door. When I answered, it was the station’s delivery service. The bouquet of flowers she was holding was so large it obscured her whole upper body.
“Delivery for Star Trader 3su,” she announced from behind the flowers and thrust a flat at me to sign for them.
I signed and took the huge vase from her. The door slid shut and I walked the bouquet to the dining room table. They were gorgeous. The refitting station had an arboretum and whoever sent this had paid a bundle to have them scourer the place for the most unusual and pricey blooms. I turned the flowers around looking for a card. I found one tucked in the bloom of a Spiral Climbing Twister vine’s pedals.
“Can’t thank you enough. Come by and see us sometime. You know where we will be.” Love Travis and Thomas
I fingered the embossed card and smiled. I loved happy endings.
“How you feeling?” I asked Travis, as I came up to the opposite sided of the bed from Thomas. “You don’t look too worst for the wear.”
“Damion is a really exceptional doctor. A wizard with a bone fuser.” Travis complimented and moved his hoof, and formally broken leg, under the sheet. When he spied the doctor looking his direction, he raised a thumb’s up to the man behind the glass.
Damion smiled and went back to typing on his flat.
“I was telling Thomas how interesting he was going to find the rehab facility. They are looking into one on T-1627. It even has a small population of Carees. Thomas might want to stay there, or even go to his home planet once he learns the ins-and-outs.” He smiled at the boy and I saw his hand squeeze the kid's on the side of the bed.
“I have offered to testify on your behalf at the hearing when it comes up.”
“I appreciate that, 3su.”
I had my hand resting on the rail of the bed and he placed his over mine. It was the first time he had ever touched me.
“I appreciate all you have done for us,” he expanded on his previous statement.
“I’m glad it turned out the way it did. You helped make it a lot less traumatic.” I smiled and left the two to visit.
I had a lot of explaining to do – to parents, the academy, the refitting station crew, Daniel once he saw the AI crew, and eventually to the hearing board for Travis. I was exhausted just thinking about it.
*****
My flat beeped and I looked at it over the top of my Muldavian Seltzer. I was killing time, sitting in a bar, down one of the many corridors of Refitting Station Quazar, waiting for Ma-rye-a to be repaired. It was Tiff.
“Hi, kid,” I responded when I saw her face on my screen. “Whatsup?” The five of them, including Thomas had kept in contact over the last month or so.
“Just thought you would like to know that Thomas passed his rehab testing and he can go to Caree or stay on T-1627. For now, he wants to stay close to Travis.”
Tiff had barely given Thomas time to contact me before she was spreading the good news. I just hung up from Thomas two minutes ago. He was happy and hopeful as we both waited for a decision from Travis’ hearing. It was good my seltzer was a cold drink, if it had been hot, it wouldn’t have been that way long.
“Good to hear,” I said with a smile. “How are you settling in at the academy? Classes going okay?”
They had a bit of a late start due to their delayed arrival, but the academy thought with the use of a tutor for each they could catch up. I had to fork out the funds, but it was worth it to keep them from missing out this term. Between that expense, the refitting and the replacement fuel cores, I was out a wad. I did what I normally did when I was short of funds, I checked into the spa when I arrived at the refitting station and spent the last of my liquid cash on a massage, facial and manicure. At this point a seltzer was all my budget would allow. I would have to kick the refitters out tonight so I could sleep in my ship. I couldn’t afford a room on the station.
“Classes are going good. Hard… but good,” she conceded. “Murdock is a great tutor.”
“I’m pleased you like him,” I said. He certainly costed enough.
Tiff was accepted into the translator program at the academy because she had an interest and already spoke nine languages without an auto-translator. Her tutor had been the most expensive. He spoke over fifty languages and came from a distant planet called Nugwi.
“I have another surprise for you,” Tiff announced. “Callen is here.”
Callen’s face moved in behind Tiff on the screen and he waved with a smile. Tiff moved out of her desk chair and let him sit down. She hovered in the background.
“Hi, bud. How you doing?” I didn’t usually talk to them together. Callen was clear across the campus from Tiff and they were in different classes and study groups.
“I am fine, and you, Captain, are going to be even better,” he exclaimed with a grin.
“Really?” I wondered what the kids had up their sleeve.
“I have been talking to my dad. He was very impressed with how you handled our little ‘detour.’” Callen chuckled. “Have you looked at your trader account recently? Like in the last ten minutes?” His grin had grown so wide I thought his face might split in half and Tiff’s was just as broad.
“No… I have been talking to Tiff for the last few minutes.” I gave them my ‘what-are-you-up-to’ look.
“You best check it out,” Callen said.
“Yeah,” Tiff added enthusiastically.
I swiped the side of the flat to bring up a split screen and opened my trader account. I am sure my eyes bugged out when I saw the balance. It had jumped six figures.
“What the…” I almost said a nasty word before I managed to reign in my shock.
“I confessed to dad it was all my fault. I thought he would be furious, but I knew it wasn’t fair you were blamed for the crash.” Tiff leaned in closer and put her hands on Callen’s shoulders.
“Was he furious?” I asked.
“Nope… He wanted to know how I did it. When I told him I wasn’t really sure at this point, he said I better study hard and learn how while I was at the academy, because he wanted to tap into that idea. He thought he could sell it for transport ships if we could control it better. My dad,” Callen said with an affectionate shake of his head, “always thinking of the credits he can accumulate.”
“So, Callen’s dad thought he should reimburse you for your trouble and repairs,” Tiff added. “I was supposed to keep you busy while they did the deposit to your account, so it would be a surprise.”
“Well, it certainly was.” I couldn’t believe my good fortune. Once I signed off, I was going to rent a plush suite for the next few days while they finished up Ma-rye-a. Maybe even have room service. Life was good.
*****
Life got even better two days later. When I was sent a message from Targus via sub-space communication. They were on the move and really far away. It read…
“Word is that Travis will be released. Required to live on T-1627 for two years and report to rehab and security regularly, but if he keeps himself clean he will then be kicked free at the end of that probation period. Good going, 3su. You did well. Remind me to ask for you to testify at my trial should I ever have one.” Targus and Crew.
I just finished reading when there was a buzz on my suite door. When I answered, it was the station’s delivery service. The bouquet of flowers she was holding was so large it obscured her whole upper body.
“Delivery for Star Trader 3su,” she announced from behind the flowers and thrust a flat at me to sign for them.
I signed and took the huge vase from her. The door slid shut and I walked the bouquet to the dining room table. They were gorgeous. The refitting station had an arboretum and whoever sent this had paid a bundle to have them scourer the place for the most unusual and pricey blooms. I turned the flowers around looking for a card. I found one tucked in the bloom of a Spiral Climbing Twister vine’s pedals.
“Can’t thank you enough. Come by and see us sometime. You know where we will be.” Love Travis and Thomas
I fingered the embossed card and smiled. I loved happy endings.
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