As they waited for the call, it began to feel like the MRH Hayes was taking its sweet time finding them. It seemed to take even longer in the silence. Waiting for something always warps your perception of time, Gareth thought. He had moved to the edge of his seat without realizing it.

“Think it’s possible Valorie can see’em?” Yulia’s voice was quiet when she spoke up.

“Perhaps. There is a reason imperial ships are notoriously hard to ambush.” Gareth said. Leon straightened in his seat.

“Speaking of which. Incoming hail.” He said.

“Yulia, cut acceleration but keep true to the coordinates. Leon, bring up the main display.” The display popped up with a young woman in her late teens. She had silver hair cut so short it only reached her ears. Her dark eyes focused on Gareth for a moment before they lowered and she bowed her head. She never made eye contact.

“Contact confirmed. Connecting comms.” Her voice was quiet. Gareth got the feeling she did not want anyone to hear her. Even when Valorie was stressed, her voice was so clear. Perhaps the comms on the Hayes was new. It made him wonder how long Valorie had been working under the iron law of the SCT.

“Thank you.” Gareth said, but she made no motion to acknowledge his gratitude. The screen dropped for a moment and a large man appeared. He was barrel-chested with large eyebrows that seemed to fuse as he squinted at the screen.

“Captain Lucas Dupont of the MRH Hayes speaking.” He said, his voice cut with irritation.

“Gareth Hughes, Captain of the FL Helianthus. To what do I owe the pleasure?” Gareth said. Dupont huffed.

“I’ll be asking the questions, Hughes.” He paused at the name, and his eyebrows lifted revealing wide eyes. It was a look of recognition Gareth had seen before, and his stomach turned. “It couldn’t be. Of the Hughes legacy? Ah-ha, and how many ships are named in your family’s honor, now?” Dupont asked. He leaned towards the screen, trying to get a better look.

“Twenty-six.” Gareth answered through his teeth.

“Yes! Truly impressive. Your ancestors must be proud. What are you doing out here? Freelance?”

“Correct. If we could return to -”

“Ah, one must find their own way to stand out in such a prestigious family, I see.” Dupont said. Gareth felt a whole new kind of headache coming on. He focused on his breathing, and forced a smile.

“Perhaps, yes. I believe you had a question for me.” Gareth said. Dupont had a look on his face like someone had offered him a gourmet meal. Dupont would get the recognition he wanted with Gareth’s help or through him. The later was a worst-case scenario. Hopefully, it wouldn’t come to that.

“Let me see. Ah, I am to speak with you regarding a sensitive matter. It seems your ship was reported for crimes against the United Earth Empire. My orders are to inspect and verify the truth behind this claim. If you choose to ignore this opportunity to clear your name, you will be marked a fugitive under UEE law.”

“Sounds like I have little choice.”

“Yes. Command does not like to mess around, do they?” He said with a smile devoid of sincerity. The resulting expression raised the hairs on Gareth’s neck. He tightened his fist, before stretching out his fingers. He needed to focus on asking the appropriate questions.

“May I ask of what crimes I’ve been accused?”

“Hmm, I’m afraid I cannot say. Regardless, if you wish to comply you have two hours. I am orbiting the second body of this star, Col 279 b. Our communications will send you the current coordinates and trajectory.” Dupont rubbed his chin, as he pondered. It was an easy guess what was on his mind.

“Understood. I will reply with our ETA.” Gareth said.

“Good man. I do look forward to talking with you in person.” He said and smiled again. Gareth nodded, his fingers flexing against the armrest. Good thing only his face was on screen.

“Likewise. We will be there shortly. Helianthus out.” Gareth said. The call closed out, and Gareth breathed a sigh of relief. There was a ping at Leon’s station.

“Coordinates received, Cap.”

“Good. Prepare the new route and send back the ETA. Yulia, while he prepares the new coordinates, redirect to the second planet in this system.” Gareth said. Both confirmed their orders. Gareth sat back in his chair, resting his hand on the inputs on the armrest. Dupont was going to be a thorn in his side. The man was looking for trouble.

“Dupont seems like a fun guy.” Leon muttered.

“It couldn’t be easy, could it?” Gareth said, closing his eyes for only a moment.

“Is it ever?” Leon said. Gareth gave a dry laugh and blinked open his eyes to face forward once more.

***

When Valorie felt the pressure of weight against her back, she unbuckled and stood up. After zero-g, she was always wobbly at first. Flipping the switch on gravity was hard on the body. She needed to stretch. Basic stretches were necessary for keeping up to speed.

As she reached for her toes, she remembered she had not been out for her exercise regime this trip. Fear kept her close to her room. After Yulia’s tour, Valorie had snuck away only once to bathe. Now that she was locked in, there was no chance of exploring. She took a slow breath, straightening up and reaching for the ceiling. When she was free again, she needed to get over that fear.

Once she finished stretching her body felt lighter. She bounced on her heels, testing her reflexes. This body was much more athletic than the clone bodies. To keep it that way, she had to follow a more rigorous exercise routine than the one recommended for clones. It felt right to keep everything as Valorie had left it. She wasn’t sure why it was so important to her, but to do otherwise made her heart ache. Maintenance was key.

Feeling more limber, she freshened up in the bathroom, washing her face with cool water. There was nothing quite as invigorating as a splash of cold water over her face after a nap. The scent of cheap soap filled her nostrils as water dripped down her chin. She patted her face dry with a spare towel, and pinned the flower from the day before to her collar. The petals were a little looser, but it held together admirably. She hoped she could do the same.

There was a message over the intercom regarding the arrival of the MRH Hayes. Valorie imagined the ships as they flew side by side, matching speeds to allow for docking. It would take time for the docking bridge to connect and pressurize. She could not guess exactly how long, so she waited at the door, ready to go.

While she waited, she checked on her crewmates, reaching out to see what they were up to. There was no surprise to Quinns’ location in engineering. One of the guests was still in their quarters. One light making its way across the ship. The rest were in the garden – including Leon. What were they up to?

She was so distracted by the lights in the garden, she did not notice the light approaching her. It wasn’t Leon – she was sure he was still in the Gardens. She flattened out her uniform and straightened her shirt in anticipation. Her PD buzzed against her wrist as the LOCKED disappeared off the inner door panel.

Ready? The message was from Gareth. There was a refinement in his light. Unlike most of the crew, the Captain was a few years older – she would guess early thirties. His light was sharp but gentle. Searching and unsatisfied. He was so very curious.

Why was he taking so long to open the door? Oh, she thought, he only unlocked it. How polite. She used the PD to slide open the door, revealing his back. Gareth had turned away as he waited. His normal attire was more formal, but today he was wearing a full uniform. It was not the whites and golds of the empire, nor any other faction she knew. Instead, it was dark gray with hints of yellow and purple.

“I’m ready.” She said, and he turned. The front of his jacket buttoned down in sharp straight lines that accented his broad shoulders. It made him look taller, evening out his stocky build.

“That was quick.” Gareth said. He looked her over and nodded. It seemed his expression was set to neutral. Perfectly, cautiously neutral.

“Leon warned me to be ready.” She answered. Gareth invited her into the hallway with a wave of his hand. She stepped out, and he led the way to the engineering bay.

“He would be pleased to know you listened. He is making the final steps in preparing the crew. I thought I might take up at least this one task.” His tone was polite, even a little friendly. It did nothing to fix the heavy atmosphere.

“Yes, sir.” She said. He glanced at her with a raised eyebrow before resuming his focus on the hallway ahead. Quiet fell, and the air was tense as they walked. She wondered if this was the new normal, and felt her heart sink.