Pilot: Chapter 25

Chapter 25

“A little birdie tells me you have been very busy,” he began.

“Oh really?” she asked with a laugh.

“Yes, busy enough to have earned your own ship from the council. I worked on the Storm Chaser. Top of the line equipment. Very posh.”

“So the records indicate,” she answered.

“Uh huh, and then Grandfather calls and tells Dad you have rejoined the Guild.”

“Did he now?”

“He did and now there are all sorts of rumors flying about you.”

“Are there?” She asked innocently. Mateo gave a long-suffering sigh.

“Oh come on spill. You know that as your cousin I am one of the people they ask first. Are you going to force me to make something up? Besides, Therese has already started making comments.”

“Oh? She asked, the humor leaking away.

“Well nothing major, but you know Therese. She was really happy you were gone Elena. In her eyes, you leaving more or less left her as the heir apparent. She hates that not only did you come back but you didn’t have the decency to come back quietly, the way you left.”

“Ah,” Elena said. “Well no one told me anything about keeping this a secret from the guild but you might want to keep some details low key until after the trial.”

“Trial? Good God what did you do?” He asked. Elena laughed.

“Do you know Ian Jensen?”

“Met him a few times. Didn’t really care for him. He has a bit of an attitude to be honest. Kind of an 'I’m better than you' sort of thing. He always kept his work to himself as if we were all trying to steal his brilliance. No one was sorry when he left the Guild. Did you run into him?”

“In a manner of speaking,” she replied. Elena filled Mateo in on the adventures of the past few days. She could almost see him shaking his head, the unruly tangle of black curls he habitually forgot to have cut, the small scar through his left eyebrow and the black eyes wide with surprise. Now one could pull off wide-eyed surprise like her cousin Mateo. With his looks he could open his eyes wide and pull the wide eyes innocent look on just about anyone, a fact that had gotten both of them out of trouble more times then she could recount.

“Only you could entangle yourself in such a mess,” he replied.

“It could have happened to anyone,” she said defensively.

“Uh huh. The fact is Elena life is always more interesting with you around. So now that you have your ship and have rejoined the Guild what are your plans?”

“I have a potential deal with Grandfather and Peter Baranov,” she started.

“Black Pete?” Surprise etched the words.

“He isn’t that bad,” Elena thought about it. “Well at least he hasn’t been so far.” Elena explained the concept of the potential business and Mateo let out a low whistle.

“You never did do things by halves. I don’t suppose you would be looking for a technical guru in your schemes?” Elena caught the almost wistful tone of the question and her thoughts turned speculative.

“Who are you working for these days,” she asked.

“At the moment my mother but she has been making some noises about retiring. Now that Nate is getting married there is another pilot for the family. So when she retires my options were to see if there were options with her family, options with any of my mother’s family or the option of working for Therese. Of course now that you are back…” Mateo let the comment trail. Elena knew her cousin was on friendly terms with his mother’s family but wasn’t terribly close, would rather cut off his arm than work for Therese and that Nate and his new wife would probably spend the first year or two of their marriage consolidating the two families business ventures which might forestall Mateo’s hiring.

“Well I don’t know how all of this is going to pan out yet but if Aunt Catherine could spare you for two projects during the off season I would appreciate it.”

“And what would these two projects be?”

“Well the first would be looking over some schematics and breaking down some details for me. You know other than the basics I tend not to pay much attention.”

“I know, in your world all technology is a magic box with a button to push, you only care how much it weighs and if its circuits will fry going through the channels,” he replied with a laugh.

“Well those are the important parts.”

“Are these Jensen’s plans by any chance?”

“They are, so there is some rush, my next meeting with Smith is in about five days.”

“I’ll talk to Mom tonight,” he promised. “What was the second project?”

“Did grandfather tell you why I left?”

“No he told us that it was your business and you would return when it had been completed.”

“Ever the optimist,” she muttered shaking her head. She took a deep breath. “I left because of the Calling.” She told him about the discussion she had had with the two council members as briefly as she could. She also told him about her dreams and her theory. “So I was thinking of trying to figure out a way to test this theory. I would perhaps like some sort of security and recording information, that sort of thing. I know it is an odd request but it is very much up your alley.”

“I knew working with you would be fun,” he replied. “Have you filed the plans with the Council?”

“Not yet,” she answered. “I’ve got some leeway there. We only have to file once we actually have flight plans. I’m going to be talking to the council though as soon as the Ian Jensen mess is cleared away so it will be all legal and above board. No piracy for me thanks. Right now you would just be research and development.”

“Definitely sounds like a plan. I’ll talk to mom as soon as she gets in.” They finished up their conversation and Elena hung up the phone. She was smiling. Unless her Aunt Catherine had other plans for Mateo she would more than likely be inclined to agree.

“In that case I better have a copy ready to send.” She picked up her coat and put it on, dropped her cell phone in her purse and picked up the schematics. She slung the purse over her shoulder and headed out the door. Luckily they were close enough to the college campus to have a 24-hour copy center within walking distance. Elena set off at a brisk walk, the movement keeping her warm as she walked.

‘We just might get that snow,’ she thought to herself. As she rounded the corner she caught a glimpse of movement out of the corner of her eye. Still paranoid from her abduction she spun around. And caught Jonathan by surprise before he could duck around the corner. She stared at him and he walked sheepishly towards her. As he walked she replayed the conversation she had just had with Mateo in her head. If the apartment was bugged Jonathan would have heard it. Her eyes narrowed as he approached. Perhaps this could work to her benefit.

Pilot: Chapter 24

Chapter 24

For the first time in a long while Elena woke with out a headache. She dressed quickly and headed out to her store, taking her notebook with her. She was earlier than usual and the street still had the hushed feel of the early morning hours that made her think the rest of the world was still asleep. Elena unlocked the door and re-locked it behind her. Deciding to take care of guild business first, she went straight back to her little office and typed up the proposal she intended to sent to her grandfather and Peter. She tweeked a few details and saved it when she was happy with it. Later she would call Peter and ask what to do with it.

That little task out of the way she left the office and circled through the store. There were many gaps left in the displays and she smiled happily at them. Apparently they had a very good couple of days. She began to hum to herself as she pulled merchandise from the stock room and filled in the displays. When TJ and Max arrived she unlocked the door and let them in.

“You seem to be in a good mood,” Max commented as he tugged off his coat.

“I am in a good mood,” she commented, realizing it was true. She wondered if it was the thought of once again piloting or the adventure of a new enterprise that lightened her mood. Max went to put his coat in the break room and then he and TJ helped with the displays. Emily arrived a few minutes later followed by the two seasonal workers, Elaine and Michael. Once the displays were complete Emily filled Elena in on the local gossip she had missed while she was gone. Apparently Rick, the man who owned the sandwich shop on the corner had broken up with his long time girlfriend and Eric from the hair salon had been in an accident.

“He’s perfectly fine,” Emily reassured her. “Just a little shaken up. The car was completely totaled though.” Emily shook her head. “The other car just ran straight through that red light. I don’t know what some people are thinking.” While the misfortunes of others were never cheering, Elena liked listening to the normal gossip from the world around her. She thought about Peter’s comments on her fellow pilots but dismissed them. There were ways to cover up the piloting and still allow herself to mix and mingle with the everyday world. After all she often went on buying trips. Channel riding was no different; she would just have to leave out a few of the details.

“So how is that business venture with the hottie going?” Emily asked. All of the ears in the room perked up at the question and Elena found herself the center of attention.

“It went pretty well,” she said. “I’m going to be sending a business proposal today. So we will see how things go from there.” The news was greeted with nods and smiles. A few minutes later the bell over the door jingled and Elena’s first corporate buyer meeting of the morning began. The morning rolled past quickly and between the scheduled appointments and everyday shoppers she didn’t have much time to think about Peter. It wasn’t until mid-afternoon when she found a lull in which to call him. Elena ducked back into the office and pulled the business card from the notebook. She dialed the first of the listed numbers. Luck was with her and he picked up on the third ring.

“Hello?” he said cautiously into the phone and Elena realized he must not have her business phone number.

“Hi, It’s Elena.”

“Oh, Good afternoon,” he said, his voice warming considerably. “Has something come up?”

“Oh not really,” Elena said. “Or at least not with the military. I put together a preliminary business plan and I wanted to send it to you and grandfather and I was unsure the method you preferred.”

“Of course. I think that e-mail would be best. Alexandro is of course here with me so you can send it once and have both of us receive it.”

“Okay,” Elena responded. The computer was already on so she clicked to open her e-mail. “There are two e-mails on this card do you want me to send it to both or do you have a preference?”

“Both will be fine.” She typed the two addresses on the e-mail, attached the proposal and clicked send.

“There you go,” she said. “Let me know when you have had a chance to look over it.” Elena resisted the urge to ask about Ian. If Peter wanted to tell her he would.

“I will, thank you.” Apparently he did not feel the need to share information about Ian. She said good-bye and hung up the phone. There was a slight nervousness in her belly as if she had just set into motion events she could not control. She shook the thought away and went back out to the front to assist with customers.

The last customer of the day left and Elena shooed her staff out of the door while she locked up. She set the alarms, locked the door and turned towards the street. She had to stifle a scream when a man carrying a mailing tube stepped out of the shadows.

“I’m sorry I didn’t mean to startle you,” the man said. He stepped into the light and Elena identified Jonathan.

“Then you probably shouldn’t lurk in the shadows.” She told him crossly. He smiled his toothy grin.

“I just came by to drop off the schematics and papers for Ian’s work so you could look over them before the meeting.”

“I see,” she said and held out her hand. He placed the tube in her hand and held out a fat file folder. She took that from him as well. “Thank you.”

“You are welcome. Would you care to join me for some coffee?”

“No thank you,” she said politely.

“Perhaps another time then.”

“Perhaps,” she said non-committally, wondering if he was under orders to try and make friends with her. “Have a good evening.” Elena began walking towards her apartment and Jonathan fell into step beside her. She sighed inwardly. They moved in silence for the first few steps and Elena found herself thinking she was very glad she didn’t live too far away.

“It is a nice evening,” Jonathan began.

“It is,” she replied. He paused as if uncertain how to make small talk. Elena felt vaguely sorry for him but was not interested in helping him out.

“Looks like we are in for a cold winter. We might even get snow this weekend.”

“Really?”

“Yes, I heard it on the weather report this morning.”

“I see,” she said. They turned the corner and she could see her apartment building. She was on the home stretch.

“Do you like snow?”

“Sometimes.” Thirty feet left to go.

“I like snow. Except to drive in on my way to work. I guess you don’t have that problem.”

“Not really.” Elena actually liked walking in the snow to work on mornings when big fat flakes drifted down from the sky. A snow like that was good for business too. The first snow, if it was a pretty one, put people in mind of the holidays. She always set up a hot beverage station for customers in weather like that. Hot cider worked well. It also served to slow the customers down. They would walk around sipping their cider and take a little more time to look at things as they thawed out. She would have to get giant stainless steel coffee pot out of storage in the morning.

‘Damn I was going to pick up coffee on my way home.’ She glanced at Jonathan and resigned herself to another coffee-less morning. At this rate she was going to kick her caffeine addiction in no time. Finally she arrived at her building door.

“Have a nice evening,” she told him. She shuffled her mailing tube and folder around so she could open the door.

“Yeah, you too,” he replied. He turned and walked away as Elena entered the building and went upstairs. She let herself into the apartment and walked to the kitchen. She placed the folder on the table and tugged open the mailing tube. She pulled out the rolled up papers and flattened them out.

They were the schematics for the autopilot Ian had created. She paged through them, the diagrams meaning very little to her. As far as she was concerned the drawings could be of the autopilot or the inside of an ATM and she wouldn’t know the difference. She used equipment; she didn’t design it. That was Mateo’s specialty. Under the first set of schematics were ship diagrams. Here she was on a little better footing but not by much. These were not the small schooners she was used to dealing with; these were all out military vessels.

“And all far too heavy for the channels.” Elena shook her head and placed them to the side. She pulled the file folder to her and opened it. Much of the information contained inside was similar to Ian’s speech. She slowly turned the pages as she scanned the words. Very little of it was of practical use.

“A lot of anger though,” she said. “Ian must have really wanted to be a pilot.” She wondered if he actually wanted to be a pilot or if he just wanted it because he was told he couldn’t have it. She flopped another page and came to a map. Four channels were marked on the map. The locations were off for this time of year but the general locations gave her an indication of which channels they were.

‘After all,’ she thought, carefully keeping her thoughts inside her head incase her apartment was bugged, “There are only 27 channels and a lot of water on our planet. Few of the channels are anywhere near each other.’ She had to admit it was a bit of a relief to find only four of the channels marked.

‘I wonder if he didn’t know the others?’ The four channels marked were the Marta, the Evangeline, the Amalie and the Blood. The Marta was a general channel used by most of the families while the Blood was a channel of legend every child had heard of, pilot or not. Elena didn’t often travel the Evangeline or the Amalie but she was more than willing to believe Ian’s families did. Elena set the map aside and continued looking through the folder. There wasn’t much to be found. No other maps serviced and all of Ian’s technical information she had heard before. She closed the folder.

‘Either the military removed some documents or this is truly all they had.’ While she wouldn’t put it past Smith to remove documents it was somewhat of a relief to see how sketchy their information was.

“Should make our little lecture series interesting,” she said. Elena rubbed her eyes and stood up. She walked over to the refrigerator and tugged open the door. The contents were not promising. “Apparently I am out of more than coffee.” She closed the refrigerator door and reached for the stack of takeout menus she kept for occasions such as this. Lena was debating between pizza and Chinese when the phone rang. Since she hadn’t yet determined a preference, she put off the weighty concerns of dinner and answered it.

“Hello?”

“Elena how have you been?” The familiar voice made her smile.
“Mateo,” she said happily.

Pilot: Chapter 23

Chapter 23

23.

Elena watched for a moment as the sedan disappeared around a corner. Her feelings were mixed with Peter’s departure. Part of her was relieved not to have a council member watching her every step yet she felt a little abandoned now that Peter was gone. Elena sighed and turned to her apartment building. She went in, climbed the stairs and unlocked her apartment door. Elena tossed her calendar, notebook and purse on the couch and deciding it was close enough to lunchtime to warrant it, she went into the kitchen to make a sandwich. As she smeared peanut butter and jelly on her two slices of bread she wondered if the military had gone as far as searching her apartment while she was gone.

“If they did they would have probably bugged the apartment too,” she muttered pressing the two slices of bread together and taking a bite. She eyed the light fixture in the kitchen. Was that dark spot on it always there or was it the shadow of some sort of spy equipment. As she looked she realized it was just a worn spot on the plastic. She rolled her eyes at herself and took another bite of her sandwich. If there were bugs she would more than likely never find them and looking for them would just drive her crazy.

“Besides,” she said. “It isn’t like they are going to overhear anything. I live alone.” She shrugged. “All I have to do is stop talking to myself and they’ll never hear a thing.” Elena finished her sandwich and wiped up the few crumbs on the kitchen counter. For a moment she was at a loss as to her next steps. She wasn’t used to being home so early in the day. She thought about going into the store but decided against it. She retrieved the notebook she had started jotting notes in the night before. The notes were a jumbled list and needed to be clarified into a cohesive plan before any steps could be taken. She started listing the steps needed and the order they needed to occur in order to make the business function.

“Definitely need to start getting a proposed budget together,” she muttered thinking of the presentation she would need to make for Peter and her grandfather. She was certain that Peter was quite business savvy but her grandfather tended to not really worry about the details of the business end. She was fairly certain he believed all that was needed was to have a false bill of sale and that would be the end of it. Her plan called for a little more finesse.

“And a lot of capital,” she muttered. She tapped the notebook with the top of the pen as she thought about it. To the side of her steps she began listing some of the expenditures needed to get the venture off the ground. A few of the items she had a fairly good estimate of cost and she jotted down numbers next to them. When she reached building space she thought of the building next to Calabrese Imports. Elena set the pen down and retrieved some papers from one of the kitchen drawers. She flipped through and found the particulars. Figuring the building cost wouldn’t have changed much she marked it down on her sheet. The building wood need some work done however and mentally she started adjusting the interior to suit her needs. Again her estimates were jotted down on the page. When she finished with the building her thoughts shifted to the merchandise.

“Several are already prepared,” she muttered thinking of some of the items the Wind Dancer routinely stocked. It was true however they were often packed plainly. Many of them had alien lettering and advertisements on them. Repackaged they could be sold Earth-side.

“We would have to rename them though,” she said thinking of the puzzlement of consumers at alien languages. “Generic names would be best.” Elena thought of the gadieoc jelly they usually picked up on Hediaon. It was spicy and best served on hot bread. Elena remembered holding a jar of it up to the light the first time she had seen it. “It sparkled like crystals,” she remembered with a smile. Elena flipped to a new page in her notebook and jotted down gadieoc and next to it wrote, crystal preserves. Several more items were added, each with similar nom de plumes. Fesha became Star Gazer dip, and tolog was listed as meteor bites. Some had space themes while others followed the stone and jewel themes.

“They will have to look like the come from different companies,” she said tapping the page. Elena flipped back to her previous page and added graphic designer to the list of expenditures. They would have to design several different product lines to create diversity in the store. She was certain other products could be developed for sale and she added test kitchen to the list.

Elena flipped back to her list of merchandise. Cookware would not be out of place and several of the pieces she had seen on various worlds would sell well as artistic or novelty pieces. She added a few to the list as well as some small items that could be useful for either kitchen use, table settings and cocktail parties. When she finished she smiled at the page. It was quite a tidy list. It was of course heavily centered on the type of items she normally saw in the Wind Dancer’s travels. Peter and his family traveled different shipping lanes and would no doubt be able to add to the list considerably.

Elena looked back at her list of expenditures and began adding. She tried not to let the high cost scare her. When she was satisfied with the preliminary list of figures she mentally divided it into three parts. With the division she heaved a sigh of relief. The cost was still high but a third of the cost was manageable.

“Assuming they both want to go in with me.” Elena flipped to a new page and began fleshing out the business proposal she would be giving to her grandfather and Peter. The rest of the day passed relatively quickly. Elena had a second peanut butter and jelly sandwich while she worked and called it dinner. By the time she was ready to head to bed she was happy with the preliminaries she had created. She decided to take the notebook to work with her and type it up on the computer in her office there. The card Peter had given her was on the table next to her pen. She picked it up and tucked it into the front of the notebook. When she had the typed proposal she would call and see how he wanted it sent to him.

“For all I know he might still be tied up with Ian when I call and tell me to hold onto it for a while.” Elena thought of Ian and wondered what was happening. She glanced out at the darkened street and realized they would have reached the Lorenzo by this time. Would Ian have an immediate trial or would they make him wait a while. Somehow Elena couldn’t see Ian being given the same comfortable suite she had been given on her visit to the council vessel. Elena showered and readied herself for bed. She grimaced when she realized she still had not picked up coffee.

“I’ll pick it up on the way home tomorrow,” she told herself. “Even if it means going back to the coffee shop.” The restless night before had drained her and Elena snuggled into her covers and curled up into a ball. Almost immediately she drifted off into a mercifully dreamless sleep.