Chapter 128: Sheloran Gets an Apology (and More). Craxi Snuggles.

Chapter 128: Sheloran Gets an Apology (and More). Craxi Snuggles.

Everyone breathed a sigh of relief as Gloria entered hyperspace.

"Good job, everyone," Sheila said. "Good thing we had those detonator packs handy, eh Chief?"

"Ha, ha," the Chief replied, "Bite me."

"You know-"

"Yeah," the Chief said, cutting her off, "I'll take care of it."

"See that you do," Sheila replied. "She's had a pretty rough time and really didn't need you taking a shit all over her. We've shit on her enough for one lifetime as it is."

"I said I'd take care of it, Jesus," the Chief said as he turned away. "Now, if you will excuse me, I have a lot to do before she gets back."

The Chief started to stomp off.

"Hey, Chief?"

"Yeah?"

"Exactly how available are detailed instructions concerning the selection, assembly, and calibration of detonators for nuclear ordnance?"

"You noticed that too, huh?" the Chief replied, "It isn't, and instructions on how to 'slam-load' the packs isn't written down anywhere, except for where they say that you can get court-martialed for it."

"She did that?"

"Oh yeah," the Chief replied. "Gloria was really happy, too. Thought I did it. Wants all of them done that way, and I have no idea how."

"Hmm..." Sheila mused, "Bunny."

"Yeah, boss?"

"How well represented are the Plath as far as Federation military and intelligence concerned?"

"They aren't," Bunny replied. "Not a single one, and I've checked everything we grabbed."

"Run a full diagnostic and malware check," Sheila said calmly. "Double check all logs and cameras starting the second Sheloran came aboard. Anything she has touched other than herself gets scanned and another diagnostic."

"You got it, boss."

Sheila turned to The Chief.

"Let's go have a chat with our new friend."

***

Sheloran and Eno were sitting in the mess hall having a snack when Sheila and The Chief walked in.

"Really?" Sheloran giggled.

"Yup," Eno laughed. "There I was with my-"

He fell silent as he glared at The Chief.

"Um, Sheloran," The Chief said as he walked up, "Sorry I bit your head off. It was unprofessional and an all-around shitty thing to do."

"It's ok," Sheloran replied. "I appreciate the apology. Thanks."

"Especially since it turns out that you were right and I was wrong," The Chief continued, "The orange-red's were the right detonator controllers, and Gloria even wanted the mass proximity sensor heads. Me being an asshole was shitty, but I'm cool with that. Me being dead wrong and not listening to you was unforgivable and impacted the mission. It won't happen again."

"Um... ok..." Sheloran said, a bit overwhelmed.

"You do have to sort of see where The Chief was coming from, though," Sheila said as she fetched a beer from the fridge. "A civilian, and a foreigner to boot, just starts throwing together the detonator controller packages for nuclear weapons?"

"Checking in," he said silently through the link.

"Transmission received," the image replied. "Unfortunately, you are four minutes too early for this to count as your official check-in."

"A pain in the ass as always, Tart," Bryce replied as he smiled. "Put me through to Pam."

"It is outside of Pam's working hours."

"She will want to talk to me. It's mission-related."

"Since it is mission-related, I am allowed to attempt to contact her," Tartarus replied. "I am generating the necessary forms now...."

Pam's face appeared.

"Enjoying the petting zoo?" she asked with a grin.

Bryce smiled pleasantly as he swallowed back a flash of anger that surprised him.

"Intensely," he replied smoothly, "but this is a dead-end. These people know absolutely nothing. As much as I am enjoying the freaky xeno sex, I'm wasting my time here. I should bail, and we should focus on electronic surveillance of her lawyer."

Pam raised an eyebrow.

"Unlike you to want to come in early," she said with a smirk, "is the freaky a little too freaky for your tastes?"

"Actually, the freaky is pretty damn good," he replied, knowing that Pam would keep him at it if she thought it was making him uncomfortable, "It's just that it's a complete waste of time. There are far more productive targets for me to be working than some star town whore."

"Sheloran's 'family' means more to her than anything," Pam replied. "When she resurfaces, they will be the first people she reaches out to."

"I disagree," Bryce said calmly. "The fact that they mean so much to her ensures that she will not get them further involved. I doubt they will ever see or hear from her again. Her lawyer, however, is another matter. She WILL contact him and soon. That's one thing that I have learned. This Baxlon fellow is at the heart of the whole operation, and Sheloran relies on him heavily."

"We have Baxlon covered," Pam said in a matter-of-fact tone, "the second she gets in contact with him, we will know. Stay on the whore. Get closer to her. They will be running into trouble soon, and when they do, Sheloran is very likely to reappear. She won't be able to stop herself."

"Trouble?" Bryce asked.

Pam's face twisted into a cruel grin.

"It's going to be nasty," she said as she laughed with delight. "The Harkeen lost some major face when this whole thing went viral, and they are NOT happy about it. They've gathered up their forces on this side of the blockade and are going to make an example out of the Freeport in general and Sheloran's people in particular. I've read the emails. Sheloran will come, trust me. That reminds me," Pam said calmly, "They have something special planned for Craxina. You might want to start working on a few spares, maybe that gerbil they ran a train on? She isn't one of the whores, so she will probably won't disappear."

"Disappear?"

"Yeah, they are going to grab the whores, 'teach them a lesson', and put them back to work, under somewhat less pleasant circumstances, of course. Keep them around as examples of what happens when you cross them, you know. Get close to whoever escapes."

"Of course," Bryce said with a cool smile.

Pam disappeared.

Bryce's eyebrow twitched slightly.

"Tartarus," he said over his neural link.

"Yes, Bryce?"

"Can I check in now?"

***

Craxina looked up at him with a sleepy smile as he returned to bed and snuggled up close to him.

He gently stroked her fur.

"Uh oh," she said as she clung to him. "Squeeze, squeeze, squeeze... squeeeeeeeezzzzzzzeeee..." she said as she hugged him tight.

Bryce stared at the ceiling as he wrapped his arm around her.