Storm Chaser: Chapter 36

Public Service announcement: Never borrow a flash drive without permission. Thank you. v

Chapter 36

“Doesn’t that break the fifty pound rule?” Mateo asked as Elena took the third bag from her trunk.

“Captain’s prerogative,” She answered with a grin. “The quarters I’m in are too standard and need a bit of personal in them.” She closed her trunk and slung the heavy bag to her shoulder. The second she picked up with her right hand while Mateo grabbed the third. His regulation weight bag was over his shoulder. “Besides,” Elena continued as they began moving towards the docks, “I realized there was some stuff I wouldn’t want Smith and company going through while I was gone so I decided to stash it elsewhere for the time being. Since we don’t have a full crew this run I thought it was as good a time as any.”

“Good plan,” Mateo said. “It would be a shame for the military to see your rock collection.” Elena laughed.

“That would be my moon rock collection,” she countered.

“Uh huh, and this is one small step.” To Elena’s relief the only person she saw was Ted. He waved as he continued his morning patrol. The docks were still dark and dawn was just edging into the horizon. Golden light was beginning to trace fine fingers across the water. Elena smiled. Her smile wilted as she heard another car pull up. She turned to see Benjamin getting out of a cab and Elena nearly sighed with relief. The last two days she had dealt with Isa six times, a new personal record for her. Elena was actually proud that Isa had sustained no bodily damage during the time. She and Mateo stopped to wait for him as he paid the driver, grabbed his gear and crossed over to them.

“Am I late?” he asked. Spin, who had been trailing along silently mewed loudly. Benjamin reached down and rubbed her ears. “My apologies for being late,” he told her.

“Not late enough to worry about,” Elena said as they continued to the ship. Benjamin took Elena’s second bag and she typed in her pass code. Once they were inside, each of them placed the items they wouldn’t need in lockers against the wall. Elena placed her purse, keys and cell phone in the locker and swung it shut with a sense of relief. While she was gone the cell phone would be off and any issues that arose would have to wait. There was an extra bounce in her step as she followed Spin to the ship. In a short while they were underway and Elena felt all was right with her world.

The weather was fine all the way to the channel mouth and Elena had that last week of school feeling. Time alternately went too slow and at the same time seemed to rush away. As they approached the channel she found herself studying it more than usual. She did not attempt to alter the channel in any way but instead of simply registering the depth and location so she could pilot through she studied the edges. They seemed to be a little like an onion, as if the distance between the channel entrance and its exit had been separated into layers too thin to count and peeled back to reveal the channel. It was an observation she kept to herself along with the details of her latest set of dreams.

Opening new channels was enough to worry about. Altering existing ones was an issue best left alone for the time being. There was no way to focus on the edges once she took the ship into the channel. The rainbow blur of passage defied inspection. One full day skyside and the Storm Chaser reached the section of space they were to test. Once they were in range of the worn spot, Elena slowed the ship. Benjamin assisted Mateo in lining up his sets of probes. The plan was that Mateo would turn on his automated guidance system to take the energy for guiding the ship off Elena while she opened the new channel a little way. Then the probes would go into the new channel. The new channel would then close and on the return trip the probes would be retrieved. It was a fairly simple plan with about a million little things that could go wrong.

“This would be a whole lot simpler if either of you could actually see the channels, you realize that?” Elena told them.

“It would of course,” Mateo said with a grin. “But we are just poor simple males not worthy of seeing the full glory of the channels.” Benjamin laughed while Elena shook her head.

“Nothing is ever easy,” Benjamin said. “But that’s where the fun is.”

“The safety is engaged,” Mateo said. Elena nodded and turned her attention to the worn spot in space, trusting Mateo and his devices to keep the ship safe. She concentrated on the worn spot and used her ability to worry it, like creating a hole in a worn pair of jeans. It was the same spot she had tried before and this second time it parted easier, as if with use it would eventually remain open on its own. Elena took a deep breath. The channel may have opened easier this time but it still took more energy than normal channel riding. She moved to Mateo’s sighting mechanism and lined it up with the center of the new channel. She nodded when it was aligned and Mateo launched the first series of probes. They disappeared into the channel.

“I may not see the channel, but I saw that,” Benjamin said as the probes disappeared.

“No you didn’t,” Mateo countered with a smile.

“Of course not,” Benjamin said. “I saw nothing.” The second round of probes was loaded. Elena made slight corrections in their trajectory due to the ship’s movement and nodded to Mateo. The second set was launched. It was quickly followed by the third and final set. Elena closed the new channel and sagged against the cabin wall. Benjamin walked over and handed her an apple.

“Too help rebuild energy. I think dinner will be early tonight,” He said. He moved past her and headed towards the galley. Elena gratefully bit into the apple. Mateo packed away his toys, a wide grin splitting his face. Elena could hear him humming to himself as he worked.

“You know that was rather anti climactic,” Elena said. Mateo looked over his shoulder at her.

“True but it is the first step. While we continue on to the Docking Facility our little probes will take all sorts of measurements and readings and then when we pass this way again I will use this,” Mateo dug a remote control out of his pocket and held it up, “To retrieve them. Then we will take them home and the fun really begins.” She shook her head and continued eating her apple.

“Can’t wait for the fun,” she muttered. She glanced down at Spin who had silently watched the entire proceedings with an air of distain. “What do you think?” Spin tilted her head and looked at the worn spot as they slid past it. She circled Elena’s ankles and followed Benjamin into the galley. “Well, ask a stupid question,” Elena said with a small laugh.

The trip to the docking facility was a whirlwind. Elena dropped her bags off in her quarters and returned to the docks. The Sea Rascal was in the process of docking when she arrived. Her Aunt Catherine stepped off the ship and hugged first Mateo and then Elena.

“I see neither of you have been in long enough for a shower either,” Catherine commented.

“You aren’t exactly summer fresh yourself Mother,” Mateo commented.

“True,” she said. The dock hands arrived and Catherine directed the Sea Rascal’s cargo to be loaded directly onto the Storm Chaser.

“How long are you in port,” she asked.

“Only the night,” Mateo commented as Elena directed the loading of the Storm Chaser. “We go back in the morning.” Catherine nodded.

“Then after showers we all have dinner,” she said. “Don’t worry,” she added with a laugh. “I won’t ask about your projects. Just about your lives.”

The next morning Elena and Mateo stood on deck, casting off from the Docking Facility while Benjamin busied himself below.

“I think I would have preferred discussing projects,” Mateo grumbled. Elena laughed.

“Well she is your mother, what did you think she was going to ask?”

“Just because she is getting Nate married off doesn’t mean she need to focus on me,” he complained. “Isn’t one wedding enough?”

“Apparently not,” Elena said.

“She could always concentrate on Lucas.”

“And think of her baby growing up and getting married.”

“Lucas is 22 years old,” Mateo said. “I don’t think he qualifies for baby status any more.”

“Maybe not to you but as your youngest brother he is still your mother’s baby.”

“You aren’t helping,” Mateo said as he tied off the last of the gear.

“Uh huh,” Elena commented walking towards the pilot house. “Like you helped last night with your comments about Andre?”

“I was deflecting.”

“Sure,” Elena said with a laugh. “Throw me under the bus.” Slowly the Docking Facility faded into the horizon. Elena was a little jumpy and had to remind herself that the entire trip was in protected space. There were no raiders here. She did not need to be as hyper vigilant. They retrieved the probes with no incident. To Mateo’s surprise all but one of the probes was recovered.

“Excellent recovery rate,” he sing-songed as he stashed the information chips in lead lined containers to protect them and the information they contained through the journey in the channels. Elena ignored him as an anomaly came into view. She squinted at the horizon but the blip did not change. It was a dark spot a few hours ride from the channel mouth. Mateo noticed Elena’s lack of comment and looked up. He saw her concentration and turned. He reached into the bag by his feet and handed her a small telescope. Elena took it silently and held it up to her eye. The dark spot resolved itself.

“A ship,” she said. She took in some of the details, the way the ship was listing somewhat to the side, and the way it was seemingly floating at random rather than sailing on course. “No raider’s here,” she said absently. That meant the ship had encountered another sort of trouble. The distance was still too great to make out any kind of specific details but Elena had a sinking suspicion she knew who the ship belonged to. She sighed, knowing she couldn’t leave them there with no assistance.

“It’s not like they can call triple A,” She looked over at Mateo, who had continued to store his gear. “Make sure anything you don’t want the military to see is well hidden,” she told him. “Hide it among the cargo if need be. I have a feeling we are going to be taking on passengers after all.”