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Chapter 1: Graduation at Last
It has been 20 years since Julian and Ben had their conversation about the future of the galaxy, and it has been as peaceful as anyone could have hoped. Julian and Saya have had a good life so far with a great business or two and they are the envy of all of Argon. The socialite daughter of Elena Kho and the Heroic son of Kyle Brennan, the experimental pilot turned Argon Industrialist. They have lived the life of the wealthy and elite as much as anyone and their opinions have been sought by business and Political leaders alike. Julian, now owner of one of the biggest ship building companies in space and Saya, his loving wife and owner of several military supply stations, have kept Argon well maintained and strong for more than a decade.
As time traveled, things change, and some remain the same, Ban Danna, now a retired military hero has a business running an Argon military museum, the two major ships there, the Atlantis an old xenon war carrier, and the Terra, a renamed xenon war battleship actually belonging to Kyle Brennan. He happily watches over his charges and gives speeches about the need for a good military in hard times and the need for strong contacts with Argon business as a way of guaranteeing those strong ties. His replacement, Commander Harris, the former captain of the Argon 2, the first Earth type carrier to ever see Argon space, has the boring day to day duties of Bans former office. He heads Argon Intelligence and the military from the new Argon One, a new super carrier fashioned after the old Earth designs.
Life goes on and after a time trying Julian and Saya had 2 children, Julia, named after her father, and Kyle named after his grandfather. There was talk of naming the next child after Elena Kho, but that never happened, so they finally decided they had a perfect family as it was. Now with their 18th birthday coming up and graduation from the Argon Academies of their choice, they kids are ready for the one Argon celebration that all argon teens face. Their graduation, and starting out on their own, usually this signifies cutting your ties with Mom and dad and going into the world and into the profession of your choice, but for these two it means much more. Kyle the brilliant grandson of Elena Kho has modeled himself after his grandmother, a brilliant business person and head of Terracorp, the largest Argon business in existence. His sister, Julia, has a severe problem. As her father’s daughter, she needs, nay demands excitement and freedom that her father has seen she gets in minute amounts. She is his baby, and with all the authority he can muster, or Saya allows, he has watched her blossom into the spitting image of her mother at her age. While it gives him great pride, it gives him great worry. He is one of those fathers who said from the beginning he would always be there for his family and he has, wither they needed him or not, and sometimes to their embarrassment, but he was always there. He saw it as being the perfect father, while Saya saw it as being a doting parent; the discussion of what the children could and could not do was forever being heard. Julian has been there for them so much he has forced himself too close, and with Argon Graduation just days away, he is frantic to decide the one thing all Argon Fathers do automatically, buy the ship, and set them free. Even now three days before graduation it has not been done and time is running out.
Julian sits at his desk looking over his shipyard reports as Saya comes walking in. He looks up and smiles as she comes around and gives him a kiss. She does this a lot these days and it never fails to get a smile.
“Have you made a decision yet?” she asks, with a big warm smile.
Julian looks quickly down at his reports.
“Julian, its only three days, come on, you have to decide, at least talk to them and see what their hoping for, I know Kyle has been right up to the office door three times today and has stopped and turned away each time, and Julia has been listening to her friends telling her about the new ships they have coming. I think she’s getting depressed you don’t trust her.” Saya said trying not to chuckle at Julian’s discomfort.
“I trust both of them just fine; it’s all those… others out there I’m worried about.” Julian said in disgust.
“Kyle can take care of himself, and when it comes to business he’s got it all covered. You know he’s number one at the academy, and so is Julia.” She added quickly.
“Argon Business Academy is great, and I know he’ll do ok, but Saya…” He started again, she thought.
“If she was your son with the top grades in his class at the Argon Flight Institute you’d buy him a Nova and stand around patting him on the back, like father like son, but she’s a girl and she’s your daughter, no doubt about it, so why can’t you treat her the same way?” she asks, massaging Julian’s tight neck muscles, he drops his head and groans.
“But she’s NOT a boy, my daughter or not, she’s just not the same as a boy and I’ve been to all those stations and heard those jokes, and she’s just not ready for that,” he whined, at this Saya bursts out laughing to Julian’s immediate disgust.
“What’s so funny, she’s your daughter too.” He said.
“And I’ve been to those stations since I was 15 and yes, they come up and tell you those jokes to see what you’ll say, but I dare say a few will regret that with our daughter, she’s not a dainty little flower, you, yourself enrolled her in to Argon Academy at 10 and she’s been a Black belt for 2 years. “ She said laughing all the more. Julian sits back to consider, it was one of his best ideas, he thought smiling. Saya leans over and kisses his forehead softly whispering,
“ Make the call today, time is running out, you can pay the fines for her kicking some poor boys arse later.” She smiles and walks out of the room. Julian smiles and sits back for a moment; he hears a small noise and chuckles.
“Kyle is that you?” he asks as his son walks in slowly. He looks a lot like his father, but slightly taller and with a definite flair for style. He’s always dressed the best and smiles even if he’s angry, the business world better watch out. Julian thinks to himself.
“Ahem, hi dad, I didn’t want to bother you, I know how much time it takes to run a business properly.” He says smiling, Julian points to a chair and Kyle sits down.
“So, three more days’ heh all packed and ready to hit the road?” Julian smiles, he doesn’t think for a minute he’s thinking of moving out so quickly, free rent, you know.
“Well, not packing exactly, but I’ve been talking to a few classmates about a business deal , just something to get a start, but I’m not sure what to tell anyone, I mean, graduation is coming and we both know I don’t want a ship like a lot of OTHERS.” He says loudly, and Julian knows his lovely daughter is waiting her turn.
“So what do you want then?” Julian asked straight out,
“Credits actually, nothing more than anyone else, of course, just whatever the cash equivalent of that first ship comes to.” He says, with a quick look to see if it’s being considered.
“What kind of investment?” Julian asks.
“Three of us are thinking of going in and buying our first station, maybe a missile fab, but we have to total up and see what we can afford, with ships and our first supplies…” Julian knows he can go on about this but he cuts him off.
“I have the idea, ok, let me think a little more and we can talk after graduation, I think someone else is waiting, so…” he says as Kyle rolls his eyes and walks away, no decision again, this is pathetic, he thinks.
Julia is patiently waiting in the outer hall; she flies in as Kyle walks past and gives her dad a big hug.
“Hi daddy, I got some great news today, the insurance company says I can get full coverage on whatever I get and they’ll even hold the first payment ‘til I get a few jobs to pay it, isn’t that great?” she rambles as her father sits smiling to himself. She always has such a huge amount of energy and just seems to dance around, he can’t figure out where she gets it from, certainly not me, he thinks.
“Yes, great, but aren’t you forgetting something, I didn’t say you were getting a ship for graduation maybe a nice cruise to Earth and back.” He says as she stops dead and turns with a very dirty look.
“You don’t want me to be an outcast forever do you?” she asks, and Julian starts to laugh, they have had this talk before.
“Don’t laugh at me, I spent 18 years here being the pretty little daughter you could show off, now please just let me be common Argon for a little while. There’s so much I can learn and see out there, “she says, pleading. Julian knows it’s true, but he has been the perfect father for too long, he just can’t let go.
“We’ll see, now if you don’t mind, I have work.” Julian says, waving to his desk. Julia grabs the nearest pile of papers and flings them in the air and spends no time stomping them into the rug before leaving. Julian shakes his head and gets up and starts picking up the orders and receipts as Saya walks in again.
“Having a little trouble here?” she asks a little more serious this time.
“I deserved it, we were having a good talk, and I just cut her off and waved to the door. She’s not used to being treated this way.” Julian apologizes for his daughters’ performance.
“Arggg, I can’t believe you, you were the all Argon war hero, and the man who faced xenon patrols for fun for years and you can’t face your own daughter when she’s clearly acting spoiled. I swear every time she sat on your lap and gave you a hug from the time she was 6 ‘til now, she drained more and more of your spirit away.” She says seriously and walks quickly away. Julian didn’t take this too well, after all he was the man of the house and he deserved a little respect here, as soon as he picks up after…he stops to think and drops his head, she’s right of course, he thinks. He walks to his desk and drops the papers there, he opens a comm’s link, and waits, the shipyards comes on the line.
“Mr. Brennan good to see you, sir, what can I do for you?” the foreman asks smiling.
“I have two rush orders,” Julian says quietly.
“For graduation, I guess ok, sir it’s your yard, what do you want us to do?” he asks.
“I want one wasp missile factory set up in Herons Nebula and bring me the codes, and make up…” He swallows hard and takes a deep breath,
One Buster Hauler, deluxe, with all the specials, and bring me the codes for it too.” He says finally.
“Any name on the ship, sir?” the foreman asks.
“Julia, that’s all,” Julian says and closes the link, well he did it, now if he had the nerve to give it away, but then she’d probably hot wire it and steal it, he thought laughing to himself.
Chapter 2: The Day Arrives
Graduation day was on them in a flash and Julian and Saya went to see and hear the ceremonies. Saya was finally proud of him, she had seen the ship being carefully hidden away in one of the old freight docks, but she would be more than surprised if it hadn’t been seen. It was very nice and even though Julia had asked to be common Argon for a while this ship was anything but common. She smiled as Julia’s name was called and she went forward for her diploma, it was an age-old ceremony, from the days of the first schools on Argon, but they kept it as a way of showing the students they were appreciated.
The second ceremony was a little more sculpted, Argon businessmen from all over were there, either to see their sons and daughters graduate or see the future competition, and many were here just for that. This was the dominant business school on Argon Prime and not everyone who asked were even accepted, it was an honor to have this diploma on your wall, and some considered it an honor to deal with those who did.
By now, Julian thought, his two kids were sure they were being forgotten, and some of their friends would be starting to ask silly questions about their real heritage, but he was sure in a few minutes things would change around. They flew straight home and he called the whole family into his office, they were all there with smiles and Saya was hoping he wouldn’t back out at the last second. Julian opened his drawer and pulled out two small envelopes. He walked over and handed one to his son with a huge grin and said,
“It’s in Herons Nebula, now get out,” Not at all forcefully and gave him a last hug. He grabbed his things laughing and singing and made a dash for the docks, he was finally an argon businessman and he had a lot to prove.
Julian turned to his daughter and gripped the envelope even tighter, but he knew it was ok, he had personally seen to it she was as ready as anyone could be, he sniffed loudly and handed it to her, who immediately gave him a huge hug and ran downstairs yelling,
“Wait Kyle, I’ll fly you over, you don’t need a taxi today.” She said loudly waving her codes and credit chip. It was all over in a matter of minutes and he had made his children very happy, now he had to learn to adjust himself. Saya walked over with tears in her eyes and gave him a huge hug and kiss.
“I was so proud of you, and Kyle’s eyes almost fell out when you told him to get out, of course he doesn’t believe it a bit.” She said and they stood there and held each other. They had been a foursome for 18 years, and now they were alone in their home again. At least for a while, they thought and they both chuckled and said they might actually have a little privacy now.
In the dock Julia and Kyle stopped for a minute to look at the new ship, it was beautiful. It had what once was called the pirate colors, now being called the deluxe Buster, she opened the hatch and they both walked in, Julia entered her new codes and the new ship hummed warmly. She wiped a tear for a second as Kyle sat in the co pilots’ seat.
“Well, what did you get,” she asked chuckling. He opened the envelope and his eyes popped,
“By the Maker, my own wasp missile factory, ok, sis, let’s get this crate rolling, there’s credits to be made and Teladi to skin.” He said laughing and they backed out of the old freight bay and in a second they were gone. The new ship flew even better than Julia had hoped; she had asked to be common argon after all the years of being someone special at home. Now she would have to prove she could do it. As usual the envelopes contained the codes for Kyle’s business and for Julia’s ship and the “first paycheck” that the parents give out with it. In reality it was supposed to be a payment for their first place, usually a small apartment on a trading station somewhere, but they knew they were always going to be welcome at home. It was more of personal pride to see how long you could do it alone, before having to return for help. Some never did return and some were there all too soon, Julia decided she wanted to really prove something to her dad, and she wouldn’t go back without a good reason.
They flew through Argon Prime as a few friends called and said how great the new ship looked; of course they were out tooling around in their new Discoverers or Busters too. It was one of those days that a local police officer just stays at home. It was graduation day and they had all done the same thing. They ran quickly into Herons Nebula and Kyle called out the co ordinates of the station, his dad was careful, he thought,, it was right beside an ore mine, and getting materials would be a breeze. Kyle invited her for the official opening of the station and Kyle turned on the machines and ordered his first load of ore from the station next door. It was a dream come true, but now Julia waved good bye and started towards the trading station. Her new Buster Hauler wasn’t made for hauling ore, but it could do a great job on hauling other stuff and she could double this credit check before her first night alone, she thought.
Julia got a small apartment in the station, barely big enough to sleep and dress in. She switched from her better clothes to what she considered her “work” clothes. She had seen a vid of some long ago war uniform and she fell in love with it, she decided to make it her pilots dress, and it wasn’t anything like the one her mother had worn to “snag” her dad. This outfit was made up of very tough looking materials. A pair of heavy looking tan jeans and tall heavy boots, then a short sleeved shirt with a short jacket over it. She looked like she was ready for battle at any moment, and it pleased her to think some scum would leave her alone on looks alone. She locked her new door and went looking for work.
She stopped by an asteroid and pulled up the trading system extension her dad was sure to add, bless him, she thought. In the sector were many stations including the new one her brother was probably dancing around naked in at the moment? Of course, she snickered, he was too straight and stuffy for that, but he would be over there counting the money he hadn’t made yet. She scanned the sector and saw an E cell factory fully loaded, and she pulled in and loaded up. The dock manager was quick to smile and recognize a new graduate when he saw one and gave her an exceptional deal. Her new ship was loaded and she smiled a huge smile as she pulled up to Kyle’s station and opened comm’s.
“E cell delivery, 16 credits each, take it or leave it.” She said and Kyle laughed out loud.
“Sold,” Kyle said and she docked and the little ship was unloaded. It was all Kyle was waiting on, he started the new factory and in a few minutes the first wasp missiles were coming off the line, by then the shipment he ordered came in too and he was sure he was set up for his first delivery.
“Ok, sis, If you want load up these missiles and take them to the equipment dock in Argon Prime, do the delivery and for your troubles, keep 6 missiles for your own defense, don’t ever say I never gave you anything.” He said laughing, and she was quick to point out it was his first profitable load, and he just nodded and smiled. She agreed and in a few Kyle was paid and the equipment docks had a new load of Wasp Missiles from the newest factory in town.
Julia made two more runs that day and finally decided that she had done pretty well, she went back to her little apartment and grabbed some sleep, and she really had doubled her credit check the first day, if she did that every day she’d be all set.
Julian was at his desk the next day when a call came in; he grabbed it like a madman and just smiled when his old friend Ben was on the line.
“Day after graduation, heh, their good kids, and I strongly doubt you’ll see them coming running back for more money for a while, well, maybe Kyle.” He said smiling. Julian chuckled and asked how he was doing, things had been very quiet, and Julian for one, had gotten very used to it.
“There’s an… adjustment, that needs to be made, so I thought I’d call and warn you ahead of time.” He said, looking squarely into the screen. Julian’s face dropped for a second, he and Ben talked often mostly when Ben wanted to brag or was just getting lonely. He lived his life for his work and Julian knew he didn’t trust anyone to be there with him, a solitary life for sure.
“Now that we’re well along the matrix tells me that we overlooked a small possibility. We made things almost too quiet and even law enforcement is cut back to minimum levels everywhere. There is a lot of pressure to disband militaries and it’s not good. There is always a chance we could find or be visited by a new race, like the Kha’ak years ago, and frankly, we’re not ready.” He said in summation.
“So, are we going to be visited by one? Is that what you’re telling me?” Julian asked looking up to see if Saya was coming in, nope, good.
“We are being studied by a few at this moment, but then they have been around a long time, the Shevans are still here in small numbers, I did research on them and their actually xenophobes, they like being left alone, and they don’t bother anyone unless you approach them, then I think their ships have autodefence. Then there are the Dragoons, they have just started sneaking around the southern sectors, along the frontier, so it’s important we act to help restore a little more balance to the system, so I think a small pirate community going off on their own from the Legion should help to keep law enforcement and the militaries all looking needed. Nothing big you understand, no new Pirate Wars, just small little patrol things, kind of like the old days.” He explains. Julian drops his head, just in time for his kids to be on their own, pirates are coming back, terrific.
“Thanks for the call, Ben I appreciate it, and hey, who are these Dragoons you mentioned, and are they friendly?” Julian suddenly asked.
“No clue, we’ll be in touch.” Ben said and shut down comm’s. Julian wasn’t too happy about this, his hand hovered over the comm’s station for a second, and then he pulled it back. He couldn’t let too many people know he had foreknowledge of things; he’d wait and see what happened first.
A Family Affair Part2
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Chapter 3: Making It Alone
It had been a week since graduation and Julia and Kyle were doing their level best. She did, shamelessly, haul E cells for her brother when she saw he was the least bit low, and he started paying her for deliveries. They both were doing ok, and it looked like things were going to be good for a while. As Julia sat at a counter eating her lunch a voice from the next seat over made her jump.
“That’s a tough looking outfit for such a little girl.” He said. She slowly lowered her sandwich and turned to face him. He was a very attractive young man, dressed in the flamboyant nature of the pirates, with lose fitting shirts and bright colors, she gave him a serious look for a second and his wide smile dropped slightly.
“It’s my work clothes and I’m NOT a little girl.” She said very forcefully, as he started smiling again.
“No harm intended, I just saw you around here for a week or two and thought you might be looking to make some money.” He said, she gave him a very tough look for a second and he quickly countered,
“No, nothing like that, I mean, you have a good ship and we always need more cargo carriers.” He stumbled.
“Hauling what,” she finally asked, turning back to her lunch.
“Whatever you want we have loads going to Teladi space for spaceweed, completely legal, and there’s a lot of loads of Argons finest whisky needed just about everywhere.” He said, quietly.
“And pirates are recruiting in café’s now?” she asked as the person behind the counter walked over with a stern look. Julia just nodded and waved him away as he gave this pirate person a good hard stare before leaving.
“We recruit everywhere, on the street, in restaurants, wherever we can find good quality people, and I have a good feeling about you, you could do well with us.” He said in closing.
“I’ll think about it, but I’m not interested right now.” Julia said as he just sat staring at her with this big grin. Finally she slammed her sandwich down and whipped around to face him.
“Ok, WHAT is it, you’re staring a hole through me, and I DON’T like it.” She said as the whole place stopped to look.
“Sorry, it’s never failed me before, “He said with a big grin as he was escorted from the business. The owner apologized for the trouble and Julian just said she was in no danger, he nodded, and her lunch was free. She sat finishing her coffee thinking, it was another opportunity to work, but no matter how many years they had been friendly, a pirate was still a pirate, and they were very seldom reliable. She dropped a tip on the counter and went back to her ship and out to work. He was kind of cute though, she thought with a small smile.
Julia was on the way into Elena’s Fortune to drop off a load of crystals for a power plant when something caught her eye; there were three fighters, all Harriers flying up the trade lanes north. It looked like a patrol, but the pirates hadn’t been flying patrols in these sectors for over 5 years. She slowed down and left them go past and they moved up and through the north gate. She made her delivery and sat thinking about it, the pirates were recruiting and now flying patrols again, it didn’t seem like a good idea so she decided to ask someone who would know. She opened the comm’s and Commander Harris was there looking very happy with a big grin.
“My word, is that you Julia? What in the Makers name are you wearing?” he asked laughing.
“Hello, commander, sorry to bother you but I have a question, if you don’t mind.” She said being polite.
“Of course, any time an argon needs help we are here, ask away.” He said waiting.
“Are the pirates starting up again, I mean they always were around, but I was ask to join today at a restaurant and I swear I just saw a three ship pirate patrol in Elena’s Fortune.” She said seriously.
“This pirate who ask you to join wasn’t a young man by any chance was it?” he asked and she said yes it was and said where.
The commander just smiled a big smile like it was so obvious, and he spoke once more.
“I don’t think there’s a big chance of the pirates breaking the agreements here, after all they have proved they can be trustworthy for many years, as far as a young pirate wanting to get you to join, well, you’re a very pretty girl, and I’m sure he noticed.” Commander Harris said smiling, and the link went blank.
“That’s not what I meant.” Julia thought shaking her head, maybe it was all in her head, and she loaded up with E cells and made another delivery. She hadn’t been in Herons Nebula all day and it was getting towards evening, so she ran over and checked with Kyle about doing a delivery for him. He smiled and said not right now and she stopped to do a scan of the local businesses. She grabbed a load of E cells and dropped them off at a mine just as they ran out and they were very pleased. It made her feel good she had helped and the worries of pirates and trouble were quickly forgotten.
Julia went back to her place and got a shower and sat for the evening having a meal and watching the news on the public screen in the café’ she was very surprised to hear a Teladi freighter captain was being investigated for smuggling spaceweed into argon space. Well maybe surprised wasn’t the right word, she thought chuckling to herself. Then there was an ad for a new ship it was a freighter class, but was very fast and even well armed, as it said, for those few who needed it safe. She wondered what it cost but decided that she couldn’t afford it just yet anyways. The last article caught everyone at the restaurant by surprise, it showed three pirate ships attacking a freighter and destroying it, then stealing the cargo. It said the spokesman for the Legion said these were renegades and not a part of the official pirate community and he welcomed all races in his attempt to stop them from disrupting the peace. Julia swallowed hard, they really were coming back, she was gladder than ever for her good ship and the guns on it, and maybe she should invest in that last shield too.
The next day she was out and doing her usual routine. She knew now that some stations had almost no ships of their own and they welcomed anyone making runs for them .It had become a way of life in argon space with the yearly graduation there were literally thousands of young people out there looking for work and they didn’t need the extra expense of keeping up a fleet so it saved them a lot. She docked at one station with a load of cells and the dock manager walked out and shook her hand, she had been here several times before and they were starting to know her better.
“We have a new rush order but we aren’t going to make it at this rate, can we hire you to haul E cells for us today? We will pay top dollar and you can get them for the best price anywhere you want, but we need at least 2500 as soon as possible, we are holding back full production ‘til we are sure we will have cells to do it, interested?” he asked seriously. Julia just smiled and said she would be glad to help and the contract was made, it would be a long day, but her Hauler was made for it and at 250 cells a trip she had some serious work to do. She took off and made the first few trips from local stations and then dropped down to The Wall and started hauling from there. It was a long day, but she finished her first real contract and the owners gave her a 2k bonus for being there when they needed her. That new ship was looking closer and closer, she thought smiling as she went home.
Chapter 4: Things Get Tense
Julia had a pattern set up by now. There were several power stations in The Wall she bought from and they used crystals at a high rate. She watched for the best deals and grabbed crystals cheap and rushed them out there when she could. It had worked several times and she had done well. She got a call as she was scanning businesses one day from one of the mines in Elena’s Fortune. They needed E cells bad and they were looking for a full time hauler, they needed far more than she could haul in a day so they made her a sweet deal ‘til the job was done. She agreed, and it looked like her shipping career was taking off, she was getting a good reputation and had been reliable so far. She started the contract and hauled successfully all the first day and into the next when something odd happened. She was just leaving the mine when she was commed again, this time it was the young man whom she met in the café’ a few days before.
“Well, look who’s here; I knew we’d meet again.” He said as she looked around. There were three Harriers sitting not too far away and he was calling her from one. She wasn’t too happy about it and kept going towards the gate.
“I don’t think we have anything to talk about, so if you’ll excuse me, I have a contract to fill.” She said very seriously, but the fighters started moving towards her and he called again.
“I want you to come with us, we have needs of someone with your good looks and skill, I’m sure.” He said and a disrupter missile was sent towards her. She heard the alarm and did what she had been taught, she threw the throttle forward and made a tight turn just next to a big asteroid, but the missile missed the roid and made another pass. She saw her chance and rushed the rock at top speed and as it looked like she was going to “Kiss” the rock, she pulled up hard. She wasn’t sure she would make it, but she wasn’t going with them no matter what. The Buster groaned and shook, but it made the turn with feet to spare, but the missile didn’t and as the explosion ripped around her, she started back towards the pirates. Even before she got there, there was a high – speed ship and two of his friends there already, she slowed down as first one then another pirate ship was destroyed, the last made a run for the gate but one of her Wasp missiles stopped it short. Her comm’s came on again, and this time it was a very different young man on the line.
“Now THAT was some great flying, I couldn’t have done it better myself.” He said as Julia looked at the comm’s screen, it said, “Lt. Craig Gardna, Argon Security Force.” She let out a big sigh and he asked if she was alright. She said yes and he wanted to know why they had fired on her, for the report of course. She told him what they said and then they fired the disrupter after her and he said she was very lucky, disrupters seldom miss at close range, but he was a witness to the incident so she wasn’t going to have to worry about the dead pirate. It looked like there were going to be a lot of those soon enough, and he smiled a big sweet smile and said he would see her around, she was in his patrol zone, and Julia couldn’t think of anything better at the moment.
Julia went home and had a sit down for a while. She was trained to get out of these situations, and she had done it, but up ‘til now it was all on a screen or in practice drills but this was real and she might have been on her way to a slave camp, or worse right now if she hadn’t gone to the best school available. Every trainer was an ex fighter pilot and she was happy to learn from the best, and today she made the final grade, A+. She was scared to death and excited as hell, all at the same time, and all she could think of was, “I could have taken them, I’m sure of it.” She couldn’t believe it had happened and she was sure it might happen again. She knew now to be ready, and watch herself more closely. The next time she’d be ready and the security team wouldn’t be needed, she thought.
After a minute or ten to compose herself she went back to work. Close call or no, she had a job and a nice bonus at the end if she made it, she thought. She dropped off her last load of the day a while later and the station owner asked if it was her the pirates fired on and she said yes, He was severely upset and said he was going to make a big stink about lax security in his sector, but Julia told him she was ok, and the security team did show up in time to get the pirates, She purposely left out the part where she splattered one with a Wasp missile. He nodded and shook her hand saying he used to have a security team there but after a long time he decided he didn’t need it, maybe he was wrong, he’d have to think about it. He then said if she was still willing he’d double the bonus for her being such a brave woman and returning to finish the contract. She accepted, and
went home for the night. After showering and changing clothes she went for dinner and watched the news again, an evening ritual among many apartment residents there. She was eating a fine bowl of argon stew when the news broadcast reported the fight between three pirate ships and three argon security ships in Elena’s Fortune, it mentioned that they had come to the aid of a young woman being abducted at gun point, and the security team was praised for saving her. Thank the Maker, Julia thought, that they didn’t mention her name, her dad would be looking for her in a second, and it was alright, he didn’t need to worry.
She wanted to tell someone, but who she could talk to about it without them running to her parents was the thing. They were well known and they had people just watching for the kids to have a problem she was sure. Maybe a little quiet and some privacy was what were really needed, so she decided against it.
The next day she finally finished the contract and the station owner thanked her over and over for being there even after what happened. He said she got high marks for her hard work and bravery, and anyone who asked she was getting a good report from him. The bonus he offered her looked very nice and she couldn’t help but notice as she got more experience that the pay and bonuses got bigger, she hoped it was a trend that continued, but now she needed another deal and went into argon space a little deeper this time. She found a new contract in The Wall and she was happy to get out of Elena’s Fortune for a while, it gave her the creeps and she needed to just get away from it.
She was hauling meatsteak cahoonas from the factory to all the stations in the area. The owner had a ship break down on him and he had contracts too, so he hired her to help him out in this tough spot. He said he had checked and heard good things about her, and he was glad she took the job. She managed to get all the trips in one day and she made some good money doing it. If things kept going like this she just might be able to get a bigger ship in the future, but it was still a ways off, even though she took some time every few days to look at ads and dream a little.
By now, Julian and Saya were getting used to having the place to themselves again, as he noticed one day while he was working she came in and sat on his lap and kissed him. They used to do things like that a lot, but kids change things, it was just nice to see she still thought like that, he decided. The kids were mentioned almost every night at dinner, they had expected to see or hear from at least one of them by now, but no luck. Julian felt bad, saying maybe Kyle thought he really meant for him to “get out” but Saya just laughed and said they had given him his own station, it wouldn’t surprise her if he invited them out to HIS place sometime soon to show them how he was doing. Julian smiled and said it would be nice to talk to them once in a while, and Saya gave him a big hug and said they’d be back, when they thought they had stayed away enough. They were watching the news that night when the report came over about the security team stopping an abduction in Elena’s Fortune, and Saya thought Julian would pass out. It was just the kind of thing that he was worried about, but it had worked out ok for whoever it was, and the security team got a big pat on the back for it. She was just happy to see the pirates got what they deserved for that, kidnapping was a capital offense and they would have been caught sooner or later, just this time some poor girl didn’t need rescued from some porn house. They decided to wait another week and see if they heard from them; if not maybe it wasn’t so bad to be the first to say hi.
