Castaway Chapter 5

[Ed Man]

The Road to Recovery
Chapter 5

After two days the shipyard released the Hauler so Kea could finish delivering the ship and parts to Ananeoo. Peter was still recovering from his wounds and had to stay in medical when Kea left.
Peter looked at the door as he heard a voice and a knock on his door. “Can I come in? You didn’t see me but I was the delivery girl that man tried to kidnap.”
[Peter] “Come in how can I help you? I didn’t catch your name.”
“I’m sorry my name is Mary and I wanted to thank you.”
[Peter] “Thank me for what I was trying to save my own life.”
[Mary] “Then why did you push Kea down behind a crate?”
[Peter] “I killed a man. I know everyone keeps reminding me he was trying to kill me and he was a killer but the fact is I was the one that killed him.”
[Mary] “I can’t imagine what you are filling. If you hadn’t stopped him my life would have been over.
I know it’s not right to kill but if don’t standup and stop him more innocent people like myself would have suffered. I didn’t want to be kidnapped the two Guards he killed didn’t want to die he was bad. You’re not a bad man Mr. Stone you saved my life. Next time you fill bad about that monster just remember my face the one you saved! I’m here today because of you, thank you for stopping him Peter Stone.”

Mary reached over and kissed Peter on the forehead. “Any time you want a meal you come see me at the restaurant my parents own the place and you just got a free meal ticket for life. Their way of saying thanks.”

Peter was starting to fill a little better after the visit from Mary. Peter didn’t like the fact he had killed a man but knowing he did the right thing seamed to ease the remorse of taking a life. The doctor called it survivors guilt. Peter was filling better until the nurse came in with a wheelchair.
“Time to start your physical therapy Mr. Stone.”

The next day Kea showed up. “Peter Kea have easy delivery job for you.”
[Peter] “What about the job I have with Ananeoo?”
[Kea] “You still have it but it not full time now it just part time. Parts factory supplying new parts no need used parts as much. I come down on pick up run in Hauler and put your things in freighter.”
[Peter] “Thanks what’s the job?”
[Kea] “Kea have freighter ready to go at shipyard. You pick up food and supplies on list and take it to small mining outpost drop off supplies and pick up ore to deliver back to planet.”
[Peter] “And how long will this job take and what will you pay me?”
[Kea] “Job take five days in freighter. Kea pay Peter 25% of payment.”
Kea showed Peter the amount he would make. Peter started adding up the time and replied. “I’ll take the job for 45% of the payment leaving 10% for ship upgrades and 45% for you.”
Peter knew that 25% was an insult and negotiating for more was the Teladi way.
[Kea] “Peter will make good merchant. Kea say yes to deal. You leave tomorrow when you get out. Ananeoo pay Peter and Kea for repair on Hauler. Kea negotiate for best price Ananeoo no like to pay so much but he pay. Kea buy two drones, one for freighter, one for Kea. Peter take good care of freighter for Kea.”
[Peter] “I will Kea. I’ll see you at the station when I get back.”

Peter knew that Kea had just given him the first run in her ship which was a honor and split the profit’s a benefit reserved for family. Peter looked at the location of the small privately owned outpost on the star charts. The asteroids were clustered together in a small remote area of the system and mined by privet owned ships and crews.
The larger companies had passed them over for the larger more productive moons and large asteroids around the gas giant planet on the other side of the system over a weeks travel away and a week back. Peter was told that the freighter that rescued him was one of the long haul oversized freighters that travel back and forth to the planet. The small freighter Kea had was faster but lacked the cargo space to make the long haul profitable. So the closer outpost was a good run for them.

As Peter laid back down in his bed the lead Detective and Commander of the shipyard knocked on his door as they came in to talk. “Hello Mr. Stone we wanted to talk to you before you left. I’m the Commander of the shipyard and I just wanted to shake your hand for stopping that criminal. I have a place for you at our shipyard if you’re interested?”
[Peter] “Thanks for the offer but right now I have a job.”
[Commander] “If you change your mind later just give me a call. The Detective wanted to update you on the investigation.”
[Detective] “Mr. Stone we have discovered that the Teladi with the scar on his face and the man you shot were working together stealing from the shipyard a little at a time we don’t know how much they actually took while he was here. But the Teladi escaped with a freighter loaded with our stolen goods. He hired a pilot with a Discoverer to escort him and the freighter at the docks. The Pilot filled a flight report saying he was going to the outpost you are headed to but his dead body was found floating in space so we don’t know where the Teladi went.
We contacted the outpost and no one has seen either of the ships. We believe he had a inside man working with or close to the ones you work for. That would explain how he got the codes and knew about you two coming to the planet to get the ship and pickup the supplies. I believe they planed on killing you two from the start to take the ship and pick up the supplies and leave. And when the first attempt failed they waited till you two were finished and tried to make good on the original plan of taking the ship and picking up the supplies again this time one of them was killed.
The other stuck to the same plan and picked up a escort ship. We know a pirate base is out there and we believe it’s hidden in a nebula in this area of space. Long range probes have seen ships going into and out of the nebula in this area of space. Several agents have been sent to investigate the area we never seen or heard from any of them again so we stopped wasting our agents.”
[Peter] “Why are you telling me all of this?”
[Detective] “For your own good so you’ll stay clear of the area. We decided to be upfront with you and tell you what we know which is nothing more than it’s out there somewhere in that massive nebula. And if you were to hear anything we would be extremely grateful for any info.”
[Peter] “Thanks for the heads up about the station.”
[Detective] “We’re cut off in this sector from our home office on Argon Prime and our race there are a lot of Argons in this sector but we are regulated by Teladi law and rule so keep that in mind if you get into trouble out there and remember the Teladi security force will only get involved if they have too.
The company has given you a small reward for your help and we got your security rank increased good luck Mr. Stone.”

As the two left the room Peter looked at his account a 20,000 credit reward had been added to his account and the security rank had been increased to the point he could carry concealed weapons. Kea had stocked the freighter up and stored his belongings and lockbox onboard the freighter in his cabin. Peter told Kea to removed them from the room he was renting at the station when the rental office called her wanting the next weeks rent.
Peter was ready to go when he checked out of Medical to start over again as the Guard dropped him off at the freighter. Peter walked up to the freighter punched in the code and laid his hand on the scanner. The hatch opened as the ship came to life and with a woman’s voice it said. “Welcome onboard Peter.”
Peter laughed at the reply as he looked at the computer settings.
Kea had set the computer up to recognize each of them and answer in their own language. And whoever was sinned in as the pilot was given the ships commands in their own language.
A nice little add on as he went through the flight check and headed out for the depot to pick up the food and supplies.
Peter docked the freighter and went to the dock masters office and gave her the paper work. The orders went out as the loaders moved to pick up the crates while Peter headed for the ship and opened the loading bay hatch as the loaders started loading the crates inside the freighter. While Peter checked to make sure the loaders placed the right containers inside the ship as the drones secured the loads down the whole ship was loaded and secured in a matter of minutes as Peter signed for the shipment and transferred payment. Then locked the cargo hatch up checked the load secured the drone and went through a flight check again as he secured his spacesuit on and requested permission to leave and filed his flight plan.
[Dock Master] “Permission granted your flight plan has been recorded good flying and good luck Pilot.”

Peter eased the freighter out of the depot and started the ship on it’s climb to escape the planets gravity.
As the ship climbed until the sky started to turn into the midnight blue color of open space and the computer stated as Peter felt weightless. “The ship has left the planets gravity field and entered open space do you want to turn on the artificial gravity?”
[Peter] “Yes turn it on and set course for the outpost.”
“Course laid in and engines engaged for a steady increase till top speed is reached is that all Peter?”
[Peter] “Keep the scanners on standard until we clear the planets traffic and hit the trade lanes then switch to long range and I want to be notified if so much as a bleep shows up.”
“Under stood Peter we are reaching top speed and I am making the final flight plan adjustments final burn made. Main engines shutting down in 5, 4, 3, 2, engines off. Estimated time off arrival at outpost in 52½ hours, any other orders Peter?”
[Peter] “No that’s all for now.” Peter looked at the monitor as it switched through each camera in the cargo bay as he looked for any loose cargo. After watching until it had cycled three times showing the load was secure Peter got up and went to his cabin and pulled out his lockbox and opened it.
Their they were the pistols. Peter knew he had used them and had even killed with them but he didn’t remember any details. That was more than he remembered a month ago as he looked at each thing in his box trying to remember anything.
Then he heard a hiss in his ear and then a familiar voice. “Peter can you hear me?”
[Peter] “Who is this?” As he looked around no knowing what was going on.
“Peter I put a program on your PDA to monitor when your ear piece was repaired and I could communicate with you. I am advanced AI and I am partly copied on the PDA you have with you. More of your memory will return as the nanobot you were injected with when you laid your hand on the lockbox repairs the damage done to your brain. Don’t tell anyone about the nanobot or that I exist my main function is to protect and aid you in any way I can.”

[Peter] “Who are you and why not tell anyone about you? If your job was to protect me you didn’t do a very good job of it!”
“You called me Sarah. I am sorry for the state you are in but I had nothing to do with it and I couldn’t stop it without starting a war we couldn’t win and killing over 500,000 people you was trying to save so you gave yourself up.”
[Peter] “Well tell me then is my name Peter?”
[Sarah] “It is as long as you are trapped in this sector. I don’t know who to trust so trust no one with anything you remember your memory isn‘t suppose to return. The ones who sent you here sent others here also and probably have spies watching and reporting.”
[Peter] “Why did they send me here and erase my memorys?”
[Sarah] “I don’t have that data on this unit.”

Peter sat down filling like someone who just jumped out of the flames and into the fire as he tried to take in all that the AI told him. He knew is was the truth as he tried to make seince of it all.
[Sarah] “Peter please open the lockbox up and take out the small box the size of the PDA.”
[Peter] “What is it?”
[Sarah] “It’s a constructor unit I need it to build you a vest and flight jacket that will protect you from getting shot. Lay the hand scanner that came from the box down next to it first so I can upgrade it first.”
Peter pulled the small pack out of the box and laid it down and put the scanner next to it. A small spider looking thing came out of the pack and went into the scanner.

[Peter] “What is that thing?”
[Sarah] “You called it a spider before.” [Peter] “It looks like a spider but what is it and who made it?”
[Sarah] “It’s a portable constructing unit that can build anything its just small and you made it. After I modify the hand scanner I need to build a bigger unit and controller then I need to modify your laptop so I can download onto it so I can operate faster. I stored a massive amount of data on a chip hidden inside the ships main computer you were found in. When you get back to the station you need to get it for me so I can transfer the data onto the laptop.”
[Peter] “If it can build anything can you build a ship for me?”
[Sarah] “Yes but you need to come by anything you have normally so you don’t draw any attention to yourself. I can upgrade and repair any ship you get. You just need to keep a low profile keeping out of sight and trouble. You need a ship of your own that I can refit and secure.”
[Peter] “I have a ship remember back at the trading station.”
[Sarah] “No you own a peace of scrap that ounce you get the memory out of you should sell incase there’s some kind of tracking device inside in. The ship was made just to us to put you in and drop off in the sector. It was never your ship it was just a part of the scam get rid of it. I’m through with the scanner Peter please take it and scan everything you own clothes and all while I upgrade the laptop it will take a longer time to refit it.”
Peter took the scanner and scanned the lockbox and everything in it. Then went in his cabin and scanned his things still nothing. Then he thought as he cleaned out his pockets nothing. Peter took every thing off and scanned himself nothing. Then he scanned his spacesuit their was some kind of unknown mineral in it spread throughout the suit.
[Peter] “I got something in the suit what now?”
[Sarah] “Put the suit back on till I make you a new one then take the scanner and interface it with the ship
so I can scan for hidden ships. Peter you need to give me a new name to keep your cover story in place.”
[Peter] “Ok how about Sam and change the voice a little.”
[Sam] “How’s that commander?” [Peter] “That’s good leave it.”

[Peter] “Can you controld a drone?”
[Sam] “Yes I can do a lot of task all at the same time when I become fully operational.”
[Peter] “And when will you be ready?”
[Sam] “When the laptop is finished and loaded with the data. Commander I want to build a larger constructor unit and build a few missiles to help protect you and the ship.”
[Peter] “How much larger and how many missiles.”
[Sam] “The unit will be the size of a shoe box with two larger and four small spiders that store inside the control unit. You can carry the unit and it will all fit inside your lockbox. If I can start as soon as the laptop is finished I can build the unit and three missiles before you reach scanning range of the outpost.”
[Peter] “All Kea could buy was a few mosquito missiles so go ahead.”

Peter knew that he was placing a lot of trust in a AI that had just popped up out of nowhere but he also knew he felt like he had just been reunited with his best friend. And so far he hadn’t seen the nothing happen as he watched the laptop just setting there in the floor until he seen the small spider looking thing come out and start making a bigger unit out of nothing then the other one joined in the process then Sam stated. “Peter the laptop is finished and the download was successful would you like to look it over?”

Peter was a little over come at all that had just happened and the reality of what Sam said was starting to sink in as Peter looked at the laptop in a daze. Peter just looked at the laptop and the spiders as they keep working on the larger unit for several minutes until Sam replied. “Peter I know this must all seem a little remarkable to you right now do you want me to stop?”

Peter reached down and picked the laptop up saying. “No keep working. Sam what kind of man was I a inventor?”
[Sam] “Yes part of the time. I thank it best if you remember your past on your own.”
[Peter] “Well I know I was a ace pilot with military training.”
[Sam] “Yes but the man you was would have never allowed himself to be shot. I would like to work with you to sharpen your defensive skills.”
[Peter] “You mean I should have killed him before he shot me!” Peter being upset at the remark.
[Sam] “No Peter I don’t and the man you was never did. The training is in their, like the man at the station you took down. You just did it without hurting him that kind of skills.”
[Peter] “We’ll talk later about training. I’m going to eat and look at the laptop. How long will it take for my memory to return.”
[Sam] “Your memory is already returning you just havn’t picked up on the repaired parts because I have no way of knowing what memorys were stored in the damaged cells. The ones that did this actually could read your mind I can not access any living creatures memory. But I was able to learn how to repair yours. Your memories were removed under a different process than the other ones that were sent here. There memories were completely erased and the cells damaged. Your’s were severed leaving your memory cells in place but lacking the ability to access them. So when the damage is repaired your memory returns.”

[Peter] “How much longer will it take till I get all my memories back?”
[Sam] “Two years.”
[Peter] “That’s to long can’t you put more nanobot’s in my head to speed things up?”
[Sam] “When I accessed the data on repairing the damaged cells I discovered that others have under gone the process and when the process is rushed it always ended in disaster. The brain had already adapted to what it seen as damaged sections and through God’s design did the best it could to reroute function and repaired itself. We could cut the time in half but if the wrong one scanned you the nanobot’s would show up and I have no ideal what would happen if the ones that did this knew you were getting your memories back. The Gate will reopen in 5½ years according to the data I was able to access and when it does your people on the other side will be coming through looking for you. The Gate sutting down was the only way the ones that put you here could keep you from being rescued.
In their words. “If he survives till the Gate reopens then leave him alone.”
[Peter] “Why would they say something like that? Am I expected to end up killed somehow I already come close?”
[Sam] “No most of the people they have did this to are evil and no matter how much of their memories they removed they always returned to their evil ways and end up dead somehow.
You were on a mission when a accident happened that’s why you’re here. One was sent here because he was their man in charge of the mission working with you. The other two are here because of their evil ways. The people that did this have no death sentence or life in prison this is how they carry out judgements.”
[Peter] “So I guess I’ll ride the road to recovery one memory at a time.”