Gareth watched the docking crew preparing for the morning launch. His tea had gone lukewarm, but he sipped it anyway. His mind focused on finding a solution to his grandparents’ meddling. Litigation was too dangerous. What other route did he have?

He felt his stomach turn. There was one way to delay his family’s actions. Bile raised at the back of his throat. The best way to quiet his grandparents down would be another 4-year contract of service. As long as he did what they wanted, they left him alone. The thought washed over him with a wave of exhaustion.

The longer he thought about it, the more his mind betrayed him. There were positives to consider. If Heli could stay active while he was on duty, it would be easier to afford the litigation. He could even strengthen his position before his family could start their court case. He let the idea settle in and felt an ache in his chest.

No, a contract was a last resort. It had to be. He looked around the bridge, searching for a good argument. Nothing popped up. For now, he would prepare his documentation and talk to Allan about the Imperial courts. There was no need to upend his life until his family made a move. He knew worrying about it would eat away at him, but he couldn’t crush his fear entirely. The threat was out, and there was no ignoring it.

Gareth stood up and went down the steps to the pilot’s station. He could see more of the docks and the morning crew ramping up outside. He focused on the day ahead. For all his worries, the perfect job had landed in his lap. A one-jump retrieval mission with a high payout from a desperate client. A client, he noted with a smile, from the Database. Recognition from Doctor “Porter” would be an excellent boost towards affiliation with the Database. Once a distant dream, he was steadily dragging it into reality.

Gareth heard the doors to the bridge slide open and turned to see Leon standing by the entrance. His laidback expression was a touch smug, but when he spotted Gareth he shared an easy-going smile.

“Morning, Captain. You ready to head over to the meeting room?”

“Good morning, Leon.” Gareth’s gut told him something was off. He checked the time on one of the nearby stations as he made his way to the entrance. “You’re early.”

Leon’s smile turned to a smirk, “Figured we could take the scenic route to the meeting.” Gareth nodded, waiting for him to continue. A moment of patience could reveal a lot in conversation. “The new job of yours is a real doozy. Are you sure about this one?” As they entered the hall, Leon walked next to him.

“We finished our negotiation late last night. Did you get a chance to read over the final write up?” Gareth asked.

“Yeah. I was so excited, I stayed up late reading it.” His dry tone made his feelings clear. He looked ahead, the dry tone clearing away. “And, I’ve got questions.”

“That’s to be expected.”

“Okay, well.” Leon began and paused, mouth open. He smiled, “Well, I had questions…” He laughed when he saw Gareth’s eyebrow raise. “The first question was: Salvage, Cap? I mean, everyone knows how dangerous that can get.”

“I figured that would be one,” Gareth said.

“Right, but then I saw what the guy was paying,” Leon said. Gareth nodded a smile creeping into the corner of his lips.

“And that answered your question?”

“For a one-jump job, that’s a lot of digits.”

“You didn’t wonder about the client or what we’re retrieving?” Gareth asked.

“Client’s from the database and info is being retrieved. No big questions there. Oh, but one: what’s with the anonymity clause?”

“He wanted the contract to be contingent on there being no official record of his involvement. Allan laughed at that. Instead, we agreed on a bonus based on the anonymity of our results.” Gareth said. Leon nodded as he listened, then frowned.

“So, he wants this lost data but he doesn’t want anyone to know it’s him? What’s he afraid of?” By the end, Leon was talking more to himself.

“He owns the data and he was aboard when the wreck happened. He wouldn’t say more than that.” Gareth answered what he could. Leon crossed his arms as he thought about it. The calculating look in Leon’s eyes seemed more natural than his goofier expressions.

Gareth remembered his plan if his family tried to trap him. His last resort. If he wanted to keep the Helianthus active, he would need someone to act as Captain in his place. As Captain of the MRH Araya, Gareth saw Leon grow into his promotion to Senior Officer. His work ethic kept his unit motivated, while his attitude kept them friendly. When he followed Gareth to the Helianthus, Gareth named him First Officer. Leon’s glib manner covered up his cautious nature, but Gareth saw the serious attention he put into his work. He was Gareth’s first choice for the job.

There was only one concern. Leon seemed very comfortable with following. He avoided decisions where he could, often looking to Gareth for direction. In the normal hierarchy, this was fine. But if Leon needed to take charge, what would he do? They were getting close to the meeting room.

“We will need to search the wreckage to pinpoint the lost data. For this search, I am going to split our boarding team in two.” Gareth said, his voice firm. “I will lead one, and I want you to lead the other.”

Leon’s movements tightened up and he glanced over at Gareth. He was quiet until he saw the door to the meeting room. When he stopped, Gareth was ready. Leon faced him, eyebrows creased.

“I’ve done the boarding thing before. Are you sure you want to split an inexperienced team?” He asked.

“Speed is our only advantage. I want to be quick.” Gareth answered.

“Right, of course,” Leon said, but the crease in his eyebrows remained.

“Is there an issue?”

“No, sir.” Leon blinked, “I mean, no worries, Cap.” He relaxed. Gareth watched him for a moment.

“You’ve joined a boarding party before?” Gareth asked, restarting their walk to the meeting room. Leon followed and kept up.

“Yeah, a lot actually. That’s where I started shortly after training. An outsider with no legacy? I was lucky to have a job.” He shrugged, then he grinned. “Nah, luck was landing on the Araya. First time I didn’t catch shit for my history.” Leon said. Through research, Gareth knew of the nightmares boarding parties could face during battle. The boarders he had talked with described it as exhilarating, but he never once envied them. Leon held his hand over the panel and the door slid open. He stepped aside and Gareth entered first.

Well, second. Sachi sat at the end of the table. Her long fingers traced along the surface as she read from the holographic display. There was a steaming mug near her free hand. Sachi was always there first. Gareth suspected that she slept in that chair to get ahead of everyone. She looked over when he entered offering a gracious smile.

“Good morning, Captain Hughes.” She said with a polite bow of her head. He responded with a similar greeting as he sat down at the head of the table. Leon followed him in but broke off to start opening the counters for breakfast. Sachi took a sip from her mug. “Did you try the Herbal Sunrise?” She asked.

“The citrus doesn’t quite cover up the bitterness, but as you promised, it does wake one up.” He said, settling into his seat.