The Captain's Heart CH 82

“And rebuilding efforts are underway after the hurricane hit the Philippine Islands,” a man said in English as Jeremy stepping into

“And rebuilding efforts are underway after the hurricane hit the Philippine Islands,” a man said in English as Jeremy stepping into Gralgiran’s office. “The death toll is, thankfully, light, due to the islands’ advance warning systems. At last report, ninety-five percent of the population was evacuated in time, and those who couldn’t be reached were able to seek shelter. So to anyone from Earth in the vastness of Federation space with relatives there, you can take heart that they are probably well.”

Gralgiran tapped his desk, and the audio ended. “They give updates about all major events on Earth, if you want to keep up with what’s taking place there.”

Jeremy shrugged. “I don’t really care about what’s happening there. Even when I was on Einstein, the only way I heard about it was when my friends discussed this game or that, which country was leading the charts for the best movie of the year; stuff like that. About the only thing I miss is my mom’s messages updating me about what’s happening with my family . And telling her about my days.”

“If you want to record something, I can see what can be arranged so that she’ll receive it. The Federation has laws regarding ensuring families stay connected.”

He shook his head. “What would I tell her? The most important thing to happen to me is you, and my parents were the ones who took me to the doctors because there was something ‘wrong’ with me. She wouldn’t want to hear about this.”

Gralgiran nodded. “If you ever change your mind, just let me know. Toom has contact in the governmental backrooms. He can make sure it’s expedited.” He smiled. “What can I help you with?”

Jeremy chuckled. “The message came through. We’re on approach. You said you wanted me to see this.”

His Heart was up, putting the vest on. “Good. Come on.”

    *

He was in another part of the ship he’d never been in before. They’d gone toward the front of the ship, then he thought they’d headed toward the hull, and now they were in a deserted corridor.

“Most of these are gunnery access,” Gralgiran said before Jeremy could ask. “But there are also viewing chambers.”

“Why?”

Gralgiran chuckled. “This is a hunter ship, Jer. It has seen its share of battle.”

“I meant the viewing room. What’s the point of them when we can look outside from our screens?”

“Because—” he opened a door “—nothing beats looking at it for real sometimes.” He motioned Jeremy in.

“Nothing’s so—” He stopped, the words stolen by the sight beyond the clear wall. The station was big. He could tell that by the number of ships around it and how small they looked. But it wasn’t its size that stunned him. It was its sleekness; the curves and lines. Unlike the previous two stations he’d seen, which, even the least…basic one, had had clear practicality in its design.

This? This could be a work of architectural art.

“Ashgoran is a Saladin design,” Gralgiran said, moving Jeremy closer to the wall. “And whatever else their failings are, they know how to design something nice to look at.”

“But why? I understand building something efficient and making that look pleasing. But that has to be sacrificing a lot of that efficiency to look like this.”

“To impress, I expect. Ashgoran is a Kersosteran word. The closest translation in Kelsirian has it mean a ‘getting together of people’ or ‘a place of many’. Their language is ancient and slight nuances can change the meaning.”

“Says the species with sound outside my hearing range,” Jeremy muttered. He shook his head at Gralgiran’s look. “Who do they have to impress?”

“Everyone. This is an administrative station. Every species comes here at one time or another. Government representatives, wealthy merchants, wealthy people. Anyone of influence or seeking to gain influence will come here. And they need to be properly impressed by the Federation.”

“And they put that at the edge of Kelsirian Territory?”

“Every border has one. And yes, they are all this impressive.”

“Yeah, this is wouldn’t have been as impressive on a screen. Do we need to get in line with the other ships before docking?”

“No, we were requested to be here. It’s close enough to when the meeting with the Earthers is scheduled, for they will prioritize us.”

“Shouldn’t they have waited until you’d arrived before arranging a meeting?”

“They should.” Gralgiran tone was hard. “But someone doesn’t like me.”

“They Meddled?” It always felt odd speaking like gods could act in their lives, but it was how his Heart saw things, so Jeremy tried to adjust how he said them.

Gralgiran chuckled. “This isn’t the gods. It’s that admiral I told you about. He made sure I had no time to enjoy myself once here. He added the stop at the incarceration center as if he wanted it to be impossible to arrive on time. His way of punishing me for rescuing you.”

“Aren’t I one of you, with being your Heart?”

“Yes, but he doesn’t want to accept Gezbiliam could have sent one so far. Or that your gods might have allowed it.”

“We don’t have gods,” Jeremy stated.

“I know. But it’s just an excuse to make my life difficult. He’s part of a segment of the leadership that doesn’t like that hunters act independently of them, and he dislikes me in particular.”

“Because you’re the Favored Hunter?”

Gralgiran groaned. “Who told you about that?”

Jeremy grinned. “I have a friend among the hunter, remember? The way he says it, you being favored by Helrarvnir is a reason many of them are on your crew. ‘To be one of your hunters is to know they will have worthwhile hunts’.”

“All hunts are worthwhile,” Gralgiran replied with a sigh.

Jeremy rested against him. “Is the interior as impressive as the outside?”

“Oh, very much so.” Gralgiran grinned. “Come on, as soon as we’ve docked, we’re going in. If we wait for the welcoming committee, we’ll be taken directly to our chambers, and then I’m going to have to sit in the adjudication chamber until it’s my turn to sit at the table and face my accusers.”

    *

“This is your Captain.” Gralgiran grinned at Jeremy as his voice sounded around them. The announcement went out through the entire ship. “We are about to finalize docking at Ashgoran Station. I remind you that this is not a leisure stop. Only those who have received approval from the station are authorized to exit the ship. If you have not yet been approved, you should continue with your usual day. It’s doubtful the Federation will have sped up its processes enough for it to come through before we are on our way to Kelser. Those who have been approved, to not linger. This is an administrative station. They expect efficiency, not leisure.”

As soon as he was done, he ushered Jeremy ahead of the small group waiting to exit. Less than a minute later, the clang of magnetic clamping sounded.

“Get ready,” he said, grinning. “As soon as there’s enough space, slip through. I’ll be right behind you.”

Jeremy was amused at how illicit this felt. “Where am I going?”

“Just run. We want to lose ourselves among the others before anyone official notices us.”

“Won’t they—” the door ‘thunked’ and began sliding out of the way. Jeremy moved slightly too fast and had to wait until he could all fit before taking off at a run among the people there. He forced himself to ignore the high ceiling that gave the impression of opening onto a sky with too much purple among the clouds to be a planet with the kind of atmosphere he could breathe.

“Jer!” Gralgiran called, sounding out of breath.

He looked over his shoulder and saw the strain on his heart’s face. He stopped, looking around for anyone paying attention to him.

Gralgiran was panting hard when he reached him. “I didn’t expect you to take off quite that early.” He managed a chuckle.

“You said as soon as I could, and to run.”

“I forgot how long you can run.”

“You need to sit down?”

“I’ll be fine with walking. It’s best we keep moving. It makes it harder for them to find us.”

“What about scanners and recognition programs? Can’t they just use that to know where we are?”

“Knowing where we are isn’t the same as catching up to us.” He had them make a turn. “And we can’t evade them forever. As much as I don’t want to waste my time with it, I have to be in the chamber on time.” He grinned. “I just don’t want to waste too much of that time sitting there, listening to other cases.”

They moved away from the passengers disembarking and onto a more commercial promenade, and Jeremy was amazed by the stores. For an administrative station, it felt like there was a definite touristic aspect to them. Impressing all those important people, like Gralgiran said.

They tried Kelsirian compatible foods, some that had Gralgiran gagging by how sweet they were, while Jeremy found them pleasant. They enjoyed a Dromian meat paste that had the spices mixed in, instead of in a sauce, the way Kelsirians did their flavorings. Then they walked among stores offering clothing from all species. But each one made by an artisan, instead of printed. Some with cards explaining how each component of the fabrics had been sourced from nature.

Jeremy was impressed by the work, but not enough to pay for a set of Kersosteran clothing in his size. Even on Earth, where there was an industry for natural products, printed had been plenty for him. His sister Beth, on the other hand, loved searching for any clothing that had been made, instead of printed.

“Are you okay?” Gralgiran asked, and Jeremy realized he’d been looking at something the card said was a Reoseph Humbling Covering for a while.

“This looks like a human dress. My sister would have loved to see something like this made from scratch.”

Gralgiran placed an arm over his shoulders. “You can send a message. I understand that you miss your family, even with what your parents did.”

“Maybe. When we’re back on the ship.”

“There you are,” came a severe voice, speaking Federalize. “You are making things needlessly complicated.”

Jeremy recognized the Saladins, but was surprised the alien was half his size. The description had said they were short, but he hadn’t expected them to be quite that short. They wore pale covering that had the feel of overalls to him. The exposed skin was mostly pinkish-gray, but also had reds and blues in place, shifting back to the gray. Their skin changed colors with their emotions, the description had said, and there had been an extensive list of what each combination had meant that he’d bypassed.

“You have my apologies,” Gralgiran replied. “There was no one when we exited, and since we are early, I thought my Heart would like to visit your wonderful station.”

“You aren’t early,” they said, patches of yellow becoming visible. “The instructions are to show you your chambers on arrival, then for you to wait within to be called with the others. Not to dally around.”

“Again, you have my apologies. Lead us to our chambers.”

Outline section 

No Outline

Addition 

Establish Gral keeps an ear to the broadcast and that Jeremy doesn’t care about it.

Arrival at the station, it’s ‘better looking’ than the previous two. Something desinged to impress since it is an administrative center first, and place with people of power and wealth visit.

A short visit of the sights that will end with Gralgiran and Jeremy being found by their Saladin attendee so they can be taken to their lodgings.

I wanted to establish the difference between a trading station and one that runs ‘government’ level administration. A place where people of ‘power’ gather, so need to be properly impressed.

It allowed me to illustrate the difference between humans and Kelsirians that will have an impact further down the story I hadn’t considered until, well, now.

Another thing I wanted to establish was that Jeremy not contacting his family was in part his decision, instead of something forced on him by the situation he’s in.