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Chapter Twenty Three The
sounds of calibrated tools against cold durasteel and the girlish giggles of two
decidedly feminine voices can be heard coming from the makeshift repair bay.
The bay itself is not much more than a duracrete box, with a smattering
of tools and portable equipment strewn about in what appears to be a hapless
fashion. Crates of spare parts line
one of the walls, and a set of hauling sleds resting against them; as though the
parts would have to be moved at any moment.
Along another wall is what has the appearance of someone’s living
quarters; a pallet hung from the wall, a cabinet filled w/ dingy coveralls and a
very small refresher station. The
majority of the bay is filled with vehicles in various states of disrepair; a
sleek speeder, a personal space-yacht, four swoop bikes and a two-man fighter
with two pairs of legs hanging off the port side wing. “Well,
I think that should more than hold her... As
long as Jae doesn’t do something stupid.”
Nija looks at Mees, who is smirking, and they both burst out laughing.
“Yeah like that’ll ever happen!”
The dark-haired woman closes the final access panel and adjusts her wiry
frame on the wing to prepare for a dismount from the ship. Mees
slides down from the ship and holds up a hand to assist the smaller woman.
She shrugs off the offer and proceeds to do a perfect flip onto the bay
deck; her long hair whipping behind her as she straightens up. “Nice work!” Mees
claps her hands in congratulations. “Well,
on Kuat, it pays to stay on your toes.” Nija
casually walks over to a pile of rags, grabbing one to wipe her hands off with,
while lobbing another over to Mees for the same thing. Meesahran
glances around the bay, surmising that this is a fairly mobile operation.
“So, it looks like you’re able to move pretty quickly around here. Do you have much trouble?”
She says as she plops down on one of the many empty crates strewn about. “Sometimes...
Mostly I just don’t like to stick around in one place too long.
The people who should find me, always can.”
Nija turns her back on the taller woman, hoping that she does not see the
suspicion on her face. “No
sweat, I was just curious. There are so few people that Jae or I would ever trust
either. Must come with growing up
on the streets.” Mees makes her
statement with a matter of fact tone. Spinning
around, with a defiant look on her face, Nija spits out an accusation, “And
where did you get that from?!” Surprised
and on guard, Mees responds, “Jae mentioned something about it, and besides we
tend to know our own. Street vrelts
can spot another at a parsec... Look
I’m sorry if you felt insulted, it was just an honest observation.”
Picking up her jacket, “If you’d like, I could wait for Jae back on
our ship.” Nija
realizes that she has inadvertently insulted Reklaw’s new companion.
Her face immediately reverts to one of sincere apology, “No, it’s me
who’s sorry.” Taking a deep
breath, “Fact is, I have been under a great deal of pressure lately.
The Kuati Drive Yards Corp. is trying to bury me and I’ve had to move
around a lot in the last few months.” Returning
her jacket to the crate, Mees moves toward Nija, “What do they want with
you?” Her tone, very calm and
soothing; a technique learned from her training. Nija
sinks down into the chair next to the makeshift desk, “I’ve found a flaw in
their hyperdrive components. It causes the ship to perform at well below specs, but if the
‘Flaw’ is replaced, the ship will perform at well over published specs.” Meesahran
contemplates the young woman’s statement, “So, you think it’s
deliberate?” Nija nods, “Then
they are trying to modify the hyperdrive components without anyone knowing they
have made an advance, yet still be able to produce the higher performance craft.
And perhaps ‘assisting’ certain high-ticket customers with the option
of the advanced product.” “That’s
the way it seems to me anyway.” Nija
picks up some paperwork from her desk and shuffles it around. “Nija,
have you told anyone of your suspicions? This
is very important, have you mentioned it to anyone at all?”
Mees takes the woman’s shoulders in her grasp as she desperately asks
her the question. With
a look of horror on her face, “Well,..
Yeah, I did say something to this one trader I deal with a lot.
But he’s not in any position to pass-“ “Blast!
Okay, I’ve got to think...” Mees
begins to pace back and forth, then she stops mid-stride, inhales very deeply,
closing her eyes, “Must find the center...
Must relax... Peace,
Passive, Serenity...” Mees’
face suddenly goes completely blank, causing Nija to become very uneasy. Shifting in her chair, she waits for the strange woman to
open her eyes or to at least speak again. Several
minutes go by, and Nija is starting to think that Reklaw has found another doozy
and that she may need to make a break for it before the woman comes back to
reality. Without notice, Mees’
eyes pop back open. “Okay,
first, you need to pack up, get rid of these ships...
Back to their owners or whatever, I don’t want you to give away this
location just yet. And we’ll have
to get you off planet. Do you have
an interstellar vehicle of your own?” Mees,
chewing on her own thumb, looks directly into the almond shaped, hazel eyes of
the smallish young woman. “Have
you gone space happy?! I’m not doing anything you want!” Nija holds up a blaster, pointed straight at Mees’ heart. Meesahran
Tofallin attempts the one thing that she has had very little experience in
doing, “You do not want to shoot me. I
am only trying to help you.” Her
voice very calm, very serene, very suggestive. Nija
looks into the tall woman’s eyes, blinking, and scrunching up her face.
Trying to figure out why she is hearing those same words coming from her
own mind. Struggling for every
word, “I don’t-... Hey, what
is-... Shoot you. You
are onl-... Get out of my head!”
Nija prepares to fire the blaster when it is violently ripped from her
grasp. She spins around looking for
a grapple hook or something to indicate why the blaster was torn from her grip.
Seeing nothing, she returns her gaze to Mees.
A frightening realization creeps over her, “Are you one of those dark
witches?” Nija’s voice
quivering from sheer terror. “No,
but I do not want to be laser fried either.
I am not trying to harm you Nija. I
am only trying to protect you from something much bigger than I have time to
explain right now-...” A sound
from behind her takes Mees’ attention, she stretches her senses out and closes
her eyes, briefly, “Jae, you’re back!”
Mees relaxes her grip from the hilt still resting on her belt. “Of
course I am, and what in the name Corel is going on in here?!”
Jae-Lee looks back and forth between the two women in astonishment of the
scene he has happened onto. “There’s
no time. Work with Nija, make her
disappear and fast. We need to get all of us off of Kuat without a moment to
spare.” Mees places a hand on
Jae’s forearm to emphasize her point. Jae-Lee
looks into her eyes and can see the urgency there, and something more.
He lingers there a moment longer, before he speaks, “C’mon Nija,
I’ll explain while we pack...” Looking
over his shoulder at the quickly departing Mees, “Don’t take any risks, get
the old man and the ship and we’ll meet you at the rendezvous point.
Got it?” The concern in
his voice is apparent, even to Nija. Mees
turns to give him a quick glance and the smirk on her face only confirms his
fear, but he wouldn’t have it any other way.
“Not to worry, it’s me... Oh
yeah, and leave some of these somewhere special, will ya?”
She pulls a tiny pouch from her pocket and lobs it to Jae.
Staring at the items in surprise, he just nods his head and then waves
her off. “Sure thing, Kid.” Turning back to Nija, “Now, let’s get you packed up and you can tell me what you think of Mees’ work.” Jae-Lee Reklaw gives the small dark-haired woman one of his patented winks.
Creator: PtrsonsZOO (Jennifer)
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©2002 Rocky Mountain Fan Force
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