Too young. Parts 1-3 (updated 18/5/09)

[BDStyle]

Hope some people here enjoy this little project I have going. I'm looking to set it up chapter by chapter here at the creative forum so feel free to post your musings, thoughts and questions after you've read it.
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Too Young.

1


The dark enclosed me like a blanket, unlike my friends at school I wasn't scared of the pitch black. What I couldn't see wouldn't appear in my dreams, it wouldn't haunt me in the middle of the night and it wouldn't bring me out in a sweat on a cold day. Its what I could hear that worried me.
I'd just woken up to a loud bang, my Dad had just come back from active duty somewhere out in space. He was gone for months on end sometimes, it was always bad when he came home.
'Hey Baby, where's the drink?' I heard him shout, slightly muffled but even through the wall I could listen easily.
'HEY', a pause in shouts as I heard heavy footsteps walk further away. From roughly my parents bedroom I could hear a heated argument break out, banter one way then the other building up in vitriol till I could hear it all as clear as day.
'Shaun its not my job to make sure your drink is stocked up when you get home, maybe the first thing you should do is say hello to the kids?' A sickening thud ground its way into me ears.
'Your job is to make sure that when I get home things as I like it women, I bring in the credits and I'm the one in this family laying his life on the line every day at work.' I could hear sobbing in the background from my mum as my Dad accentuated his speech on every 'I'. My eyes had acclimatised to the dark, looking to my right I noticed my sister had woken up too. 'Emma' I whispered as low as i could, I knew she'd be upset so I grabbed my plushie Lion, got out of bed and tiptoed over to her bed.
'Roary wants a hug, he says mine aren't good enough.' Suddenly my teddy had been taken from me and resided in Emma's shaking arms. I climbed onto her bed and gave her a hug, words wouldn't do anything anyway. She lay her head on my shoulder and cried as quietly as she could, Emma knew not to make a sound or our dad may hear us. We certainly didn't want that.

'Destination sector reached, 3 ships in immediate vicinity, 24 within range and no hazardous anomalies detected.' My ships computer was shrill and loud, it had woken me up with a start as my dreams disappeared from memory as quickly as they had formed. I'd arrived in Siezewell with about 2 hours to spare on my runs appointed timetable, some Teladi unpronounceable had put out a request for some computer parts that the company I worked for could fulfil. Boring job, no chance for a leg up the promotional ladder and no way to make the time on-board interesting bar using the stash of Space-weed I kept hidden for dire emergencies. This all made me come up with the conclusion that this extra 2 hours would be put to good use. I could of course follow 'standard operating procedures', log the early arrival and gain a 2% increase in wages for the delivery. What I was actually going to do was totally different.
The drop off was nothing out of the ordinary, I paid the Teladi to keep my early arrival quiet for a few hours at the cost of a couple of credits then set off to the stations Bar.
The bar wasn't well populated, a couple of the reptilian looking Teladi sat at the bar and a fellow human sitting down in the corner. I sidled over to a seat next to one of the Teladi and asked for a drink.
'What you got from Argon Prime barkeep?'
'You Argon are all the same, wanting your disgusting drinks at even more disgusting prices. How about one of these finely brewed beverages at a very reasonable price.' Teladi always had an issue speaking in basic, they pronounced their S' with a hissing sound and it always made them sound dodgy.
'Look mate, that drink was probably 'brewed' in your bog after a particularly heavy night out yeah? I'll take an Argon brewed and bottled drink pretty please. Oh and no glass either mate.' Yes I was being rude, I didn't care as I'd never see this guy again. The Teladi gave me what looked like an evil backward glance muttering 'Bog? what is this Bog?' and got my drink.
'10 credits human.' Was this Teladi taking the piss?
'No, 5 credits and not a credit higher. We both know it should be 3 so live with the price I offer or lose it.' I got my drink and sat down at a vacant table. I thought I could drink at least 8 of these before I'd have to get back on my way. Hopefully it would make sleeping easier.
About 30minutes into my little 1 man drinking session the Lone man in the corner hustled up to my table, pulled up a chair and sat down facing me.

2

The sound of rain on the window soothed me, the gentle patter as it hit the pane of glass was a gentle rhythm in my mind. I loved the rain for that, helped me keep my mind clear and focused, if I strained hard it was easy to keep track of the little thuds of water whatever was happening. In this particular case it wasn't so easy though.
A sickening crack reverberated through my head as my Dad hit me on my cheek bone, my flesh bruising nearly instantly as the capillaries in the area all burst under the sudden strike.
'I Said shut up' he shouted at me, it seems I'd interrupted something interesting on the vidcast, probably a match on, I should of realised.
'I just wanted a drink Dad'. I protested, as I spoke I knew I'd made a mistake, I looked at my mum and I saw her head lower, averting her eyes. I tried to run but he caught me as he jumped from his seat.
'What did you just say? A drink you want is it? lets get that for you then shall we?' He grabbed me by my jumpers neck and dragged me to the kitchen sink. Activating the water he let it fill to the brim.
'Water good enough?' Shaun exclaimed as he picked my protesting body up and stuck my head under the water. I struggled hard but his hand was strong as an ox, I couldn't free myself from his iron grip. Lifting me back out he laughed, sounded like bellows from a forge mixed with falling sand come to think of it.
'Had enough yet boy? Learnt not to talk back to your superiors? This is for your own good kid, someone has got to teach you respect and its obvious your mum isn't.' I managed a gurgle in reply as my head went back under, the water was sloshing out of the sink and from the inside it sounded familiar. Training every bit of thought I had left I listened to it, my sight was dimming now but still I tried to work out what the sound was. It felt like my lungs were on fire, I strained to hear the sound, desperately trying to work out what it was. As darkness engulfed me and the pain became to much it came to me.
Sounds like rain.

My eyes opened almost instantly searching for the time. Fourteen hours after my meeting with the man that had quite possibly changed the direction of my life in a fifteen minute conversation.
'Computer, time to destination?' No response.
'Computer give me a sit rep now.' Still nothing from the hidden speakers. Time to see what was wrong with the flying shipwreck now. Next to the door out of my quarters was a small display panel, after a while I remembered the command list and requested a sit rep. Once again nothing came up out the speakers or up on the screen.
'For **** sake, this pile of trash for a ship is always breaking at stupid times.' I shouted at no-one in particular. Stepping out into the hall between the command deck and my bunk I didn't notice anything amiss. Engine thrum still flowing through the ships paneling like a river, lights still set to normal and I wasn't dead, which was quite a good decider that something was afoot or not. It took thirty seconds to traverse the distance between my rack and the bridge, at no time did I see any sign of a breakdown in the ships AI. Indeed, at first glance all seemed well and running smoothly apart from the lack of vocal response from the computer.
A good check around the control panels of the bridge pointed me to the issue, there was a damaged relay in the AI array. Apparently all that didn't work was the simulated voice response and there was a slight power fluctuation in cargo bay one. Shouldn't be an issue but I'll see if I can fix it none the less.
Turning the corner into AI control my mouth dropped.
'Er..........' Standing shaking in the corner was one of the most beautiful women I'd ever seen, in the dim lights I could make out her long brunette hair draped over her shoulders. She was just wearing a pale blue coloured slip that I guess was a nightgown of some sort. A split second into admiring the view I suddenly realised where I was.
'So, going to tell me how you snuck on?' It wasn't rare to pick up stowaways in more relaxed stations, she probably slipped a Teladi guard some creds to get through the gates un-noticed. The women remained huddled in the corner, oblivious to his concerns she started to stammer.
'Where am I?'
'You don't know? C'mon lady don't BS me. You've snuck onto my ship for a free ride so stop pissing about would you.' Gorgeous or not, she's not getting one over me... well, like that anyway.
'Please!' She was nearly crying now,
'Where am I?' Maybe she wasn't playing me, she certainly seemed incredibly shaken up.
'Well in case you really don't know I'll tell you, this is my ship. Going to answer my question now?' A small lie, it was the companies ship but she didn't need to know that.
'I....I don't know', cradling her head in her hands she started crying. In the dim light her tears seemed to glisten like the stars outside the ship.
'Hey, lady you don't need to do that. I'm not going to hurt you, I'm just really confused on how you got on if you don't know yourself.' She had to be playing me for a fool, there was no other way on this ship. Maybe she was a thief, she was screwed if that was the case, nothing worth stealing out of my belongings or the cargo for that matter.
'Bugger.' I suddenly remembered, the cargo the man had given me in Cargo bay one, I started to leave the room.
'Where are you going?' Her voice stuttering from all her crying.
'Please don't leave me.' The lady was tugging at my arm now trying to hold me back.
'Look, I'll be back in a sec, just checking something.'
'Can i come?' Now I see, she was trying to keep me from checking the cargo. Best take her with me in case she hides somewhere else. I pulled her up off the floor and lead her to the cargo bay.
'Isn't there another way? I don't like this way'. The woman was starting to get fidgety again, she must be trying to stop me getting to bay one. The closer we got the more she struggled,
'Please lets go another way, I don't like it down here.' The bay was a couple of seconds away now and the woman was near hysterics.
'NO, take me another way, i don't like this place at all.' Breathing in short bursts she was nearly hyper ventilating. I turned the corner and the crate that was supposed to be closed was very much open. The lady was now doing her best to break my grip, shouting at my face in such a high pitch I thought my ears would pop.
'Don't put me back, just don't... please I'll do ANYTHING.' There was a pregnant pause as my brain kicked into a higher gear, it all pieced together.
She was the cargo.
I lead her to my quarters to get her some cloths together.
'So whats your name then, can't keep calling you lady can I?' I smiled at her, it was a cheeky little grin trying to raise the mood she was in a bit.
'Ilea, my names Ilea.'

3

Now c'mon Kids, hurry up. We have to make the shuttle in time or your father will be very unhappy'. Mum seemed much more hurried than usual, she was ushering me and my sis about very quickly carrying an awfully large amount of baggage with her. I was even told to bring Roary along which seemed very odd as Mum was always saying I was too old for him these days. Emma was dragging her feet as usual, she pretty much didn't want to do anything any more.
We'd reached the shuttle complex, I should be excited really. Loud announcements cutting through the din of thousands of people milling around waiting for their outbound journeys or incoming friends and relatives. I could feel the rumble as above me ships took off towards the stars with cargoes of people and wares. Soon that'll be me but I just didn't feel anything about it at all, my Dad was a pilot out there and whatever he does is what I don't want to do.
Waiting for our ship my Mum turned to us after quite some time and told us to follow her. Walking towards the lifts that would take us to the correct launch platform I wondered when our father was going to actually meet us. As far as I could tell we were some of the last people to climb aboard this ship. Mum stopped for a second at the door of the ship and looked back, a few tears welled up in her eyes as she coaxed us into the ship and towards our seats.
'We aren't seeing Dad again are we Mum?'
'No' a long pause as we sat down on the deep plush seats, 'No we aren't'.

I was now well off the beaten path when it came down to company orders, looking at my message log I had been given my final order to return to headquarters with this Ship or I'd be considered a thief of company shipping property and cargo to boot.
'So Ilea'
'Yes?' she answered almost immediately, I thought she'd been napping with her head laid against the secondary console.
'Where did you come from then? Where's home?'
'I don't know, I don't really know that much about myself other than my name and that I really don't like that box.'
Great, how cliché was this then? Mysterious beauty, amnesia, secret role to play in saving the destruction of the universe perhaps? Lets hope that last bit wasn't true, heroes in the movies may be bulletproof but I'm certainly not.
'Ok well since I'm now a fugitive of the law in quite a few sectors with my stolen ship where do you think is a good idea for us to go?'
'I'm not sure, lets make it somewhere nice and warm, a soft sandy beach and gorgeous blue water lagoon.' I'm sure I caught a mischievous glint in her eye as she spoke.
'Oh sure, and I want dusky maidens to cater to my every whim while we're at it.' I was obviously being dry but she still chuckled, it wasn't that funny to be honest but it lightens the situation I guess.
Ilea spoke up, 'So where were you supposed to take me?'
'Well, it was this station in Farnhams legend. I was to hand the crate you were in over to a Split chap and get paid a few million for it. I was told it may be dangerous but I didn't realise the cargo was human.' The Split were a savage race intent on warfare and challenged everyone they met to combat. Built like a colossus and with a wiry speed to match their aggression humans rarely went up one on one with them.
'Aw crap, you think he'll be coming after me for you? With that much credits at stake I'm going to guess he'll want his merchandise.'
Ilea was fiddling with a button on the jumper she was wearing, 'It might be best to assume so, I'm sorry I got you into this.'
'It's my own fault, Credits were too good to turn down at any rate. It's a shame, would have been my ticket to the easy life but now things are if anything far more interesting than before.' I began to think of a route out of this predicament, I'd need somewhere safe to get some changes made to the ship. Grab a new transponder and respray the outside from its original company colours to something less conspicuous.
'Well I have a rough plan, I've got a mate who works in the Trading station at Menaleus' Frontier. He should be able to get some changes made to my ship but from there on in I'm not sure where to go. Maybe we should take a look at that cargo crate and see if there are any clues to where you came from?'
'I'm not going back inside!' Ilea exclaimed.
'I know, I've got the point already, I was thinking maybe there are some clues to where you come from, maybe you have family or a man waiting for you?'
We headed back down to the cargo bay, busy chatting to Ilea I didn't notice the low warning chime of a ship coming slowly into our exclusion zone.

[kethalpak]

I like the sound of this, hope you write more soon.

[KiwiNZ]

Nice start! Looking forward to more.

[BDStyle]

Thank you guys, should have the next part up by tomorrow or hopefully quicker time permitting

[neilan15]

the first part is really well written, looking forward to reading more, excellent start, don't keep us waiting too long.

[BlueShade Zero]

Nice, i like it... alot... actualy. PM me if you would when you get the next bit of the story out. i cant wait.

[BDStyle]

I had a small writers block where I went over and over and over the same part.

However I'm over it now, second part nearly done

[KiwiNZ]

PM me if you would when you get the next bit of the story out.

In the top right of each threas there is a link 'watch this topic (http://forum2.egosoft.com/viewtopic.php ... ic&start=0). Just click it and you will be informed of changes/new posts in that thread.

[BDStyle]

Ok part 2 is in, once again i hope you enjoy

Sorry for the delay at any rate

[Captain Chris sTc]

arr the art of being completely and uttely pissed. it can lead to all kinds of wonderfull discoveries .

wonder where he's supposed to be taking his ladie?

[BlueShade Zero]

PM me if you would when you get the next bit of the story out.

In the top right of each threas there is a link 'watch this topic (http://forum2.egosoft.com/viewtopic.php ... ic&start=0). Just click it and you will be informed of changes/new posts in that thread.

Didnt know that was there, thanks. Very nice job as always, cant wait for more.

[BDStyle]

It's been quite some time since I updated this... unfortunately at the original year of me creating this story I lost my work. I've decided to re-write it and if you could forgive me for perhaps a poorer quality chapter as I've been out of the writing game for a while.

Anyway part 3 is up and I shall be updating this on a fairly regular basis. I have a general story arc written and character profiles half done so I look forward to seeing how this ends up

[WarriorGuild]

Nice one mate - just stopped by to check out the fan fiction now that NS is taking a break - Very much enjoying your story - can't wait to find out more
Keep it up

[BDStyle]

Thanks, I'm enjoying writing again I must say.

Next update soon, maybe even tonight / early morning.

[Captain Chris sTc]

Sweet i'm looking forward to it.

[BDStyle]

Sry for wait chaps, work got in the way.

[WarriorGuild]

Damn I hate work
Always spoiling our x3 fun