Storm Chaser: Chapter 6

Sorry for the delay, work took over something fierce. But with luck things will settle down for a little bit. v

Chapter 6

“Are you sure this came from my galley?” Elena asked. Benjamin laughed.

“Are you going to ask that every meal?” he responded. Elena shook her head.

“I still think you smuggled food on in your bag,” Benjamin’s only reply was a wide grin. Elliot began clearing the table.

“I have to agree with the captain,” Elliot said. “I’ve never eaten like this ship board.”

“Where’d you learn to cook like that anyway?” Elena asked.

“I spent some time working with a crazy chef named Consuelo McCracken,” he admitted leaning back in his chair. “She was crazy but she sure could cook. Since I liked the food, I paid attention. I can only do the simpler things though.”

“Consuelo McCracken of Grazos?” Elena asked.

“That would be the one. Except she left Grazos last I heard.”

“True,” Elena said. About two months back. I’ve got a meeting with her this trip earthside.”

“Really,” Benjamin said. A thoughtful look darted across his face before being replaced by the easy grin. During the trip Elena had come to realize the grin was the mask he hid behind. She thought of it as his wizard face. Pay no attention to the man behind the curtain.

“Is she really that crazy?”

“Not really, Just don’t interrupt her when she is cooking and you’ll be fine.”

“Good to know.” Elena stood and walked to the door of the galley. “And sorry to say soon the Storm Chaser will have to be without your cooking. We should hit the channel in an hour or so, then its just a short jaunt to port. Let me know if you want to give up the travel gig and become a full time cook.” Benjamin laughed, the sound following her out the door and into the pilot house.

Elena checked the course heading, and then looked out into the black of space. Inside her head she mentally flipped the switch that turned on the ability to see the channels. She smiled as the outline of the channel mouth. It always amazed her that so few people could see it. Even the men on board would see nothing different about the section of space. Elena adjusted the ship’s course. To her the channel was a ribbon of early dawn colored sky between two pillars of black. She knew the depth like she knew her own name.

As the ship approached the channel, Elena began turning instruments off. Any electronic equipment that was on during the trip through the channel could potentially fry it’s circuits. When she was through only one red light blinked at her. That one showed that the tracery built into the ships hull to keep the bubble of oxygen surrounding the ship was still active.

“Channel entry in five,” She called. As was protocol Freddie and Elliot moved away from the railings and towards the center. Benjamin was still in the galley. The move was one of the safety precautions always taken. There was always a slight bump when entering the channels and those near the railing might get knocked overboard. In addition, should the oxygen fail, a back up system was located inside the main cabin and pilot house.

The Storm Chaser eased into the channel. The sky bled to white then became ribboned with every color in the spectrum, twisting and turning like flags in a high wind. There was a slight bump as the bulk of the ship entered the channel, then the Storm Chaser picked up speed, racing down the slalom of the channel. The prow dipped as it approached the channel mouth then bounced up for final entry. With a splash the Storm Chaser landed in the ocean. Elena flipped the oxygen shield off as water sloshed across the deck. Above them the sky was a deep azure blue and with the exception of the wake of their landing the sea was calm. Elena smiled and shifted her sight back to normal. She adjusted the course for her home port.

“All clear,” she called. Normal activity resumed. Elena stepped from the pilot house and walked over to the railing. The sun was warm on her skin and the salty breeze felt good on her skin. After breathing in what she liked to think of as the canned air of the ships and Docking Facility for so long the fresh air felt divine. Movement to starboard caught her eye and she looked.

“Dolphins,” she said with a smile. For some reason the channel riders always attracted them. She glanced behind her and saw several playing in the ship’s wake.

"Good luck follows where dolphin's dance," She said quietly repeating the old sailor's adage. Given that Nibbles, the store selling off word goods repackaged into earth friendly forms would be opening this week, she was willing to take all the good omens she could find. Elena looked across the desk and saw both Freddie and Elliot enjoying the feel of the sun and wind. Benjamin left the galley and found a place on deck, out of the way to sun himself. Spin followed him and settled herself in a patch of sunlight nearby.

“With skin that unaccustomed to sunlight you better watch out for sunburn,” Elena called. Benjamin flashed a grin her way.

“I put on sun block in the galley.” Elena nodded and went back to her tasks. Skyside inertia kept the ship on course. Earthside was much more demanding.