himself before he was forced to set it off, saving Stephanie and Frost's lives. Sadly a large fighter engine was activated behind him by the electromagnetic surge, and Finn couldn't get away before it overloaded and exploded.
Agameg had seen what remained of his friend. It was securely held in a deep stasis tube, only the major portion of his upper torso, head and part of an arm had been preserved. The brain was undamaged, but that was all. He was told by Grace he would need a very sophisticated medical treatment center if there was to be any kind of meaningful revival. The new doctor had consulted briefly and told him that there was no hope outside of a scientific miracle. The doctor had already left the ship. The Captain and Deck Chief had arranged for the Cold Reaver to deliver anyone who didn't wish to remain aboard to the Sarnia Transit Port.
It was left to Agameg to tell Ashley, which was another duty he put off. First he would make his tribute, make a statement of his own grief and start moving on. He had to be strong for her, she had the purest heart he had ever met and watching it break would be terrible.
Price looked at the half kilogram, round regulating capacitor in his hand. He had already signed it for Finn with a permanent marker. With a sigh he pressed it against a part of the Big Surprise's frame and used his spot welder to affix it firmly, permanently.
His hands shook as he pulled two wires out of his pocket and spot soldered them to the main circuit board deeper inside the Big Surprise. “There, your part will improve efficiency and provide reinforcement. Much like you did, Finn.”
The hatch opened behind him. “This compartment is restricted to all but Samson crew, sorry friend,” he said over his shoulder.
“After all that, I'd hope I'm crew,” Finn said through a wide grin.
Price stood up in a shot and bashed his head on a low hanging beam. He crouched and turned slowly, rubbing his head and blinking his saucer round eyes one at a time. “Finn?” he slurred.
Finn crossed the compartment to him and checked his friend's head. “Yup, I just woke up in medical, all in one piece like nothing happened. All I remember before that is trying to open that damned door and a bright flash.”
Price just smiled and blinked his round eyes, staring at Finn. His breathing came hoarsely. “Finn?” he stumbled forward and embraced his friend with enthusiasm.
He laughed and hugged him back. “They used a tactical computer called Minuteman to put me back together along with a few billion nanobots and about eighty pounds of reconstructive material.”
Price stepped away and put his hand against Finn's face. “Ashley is going to be so happy, and Stephanie! The way she sees it you gave your life for hers. She does not show how much she appreciates it openly while she's sober. You should be ready to be tackled. I suggest you only meet one of them at a time.” His breathing was still rough sounding, like there was some obstruction in his throat.
“Are you okay?”
“Yes, only a little…” he took a deep breath and let it out. “Emotional. We were sure you weren't coming back. There wasn't much left,” he whispered. “But we didn't let Ashley see.”
“Good. To be honest, I don't want to see either. That's one experience I don't want to remember that vividly.” He looked to the Big Surprise to see what Price had been doing. “That's for me?”
“Aye, I had been putting it off, but after the memorial a few days ago I had to.”
“Memorial?”
“So much has happened Finn.”
Finn nodded, a little wide eyed. “Tell me about it. Captain owns the Triton now and everywhere I look there's a crew member I've never met. I've even heard there are two bars on board?”
“Aye, maybe that would be the best place for me to fill you in. We could call down Ashley and Stephanie as well. I'm the tactical officer here, by the way.”
“Congratulations,” Finn said earnestly.
“I'm wondering if the Captain will want you on the bridge like he did on the Samson. They're still filling positions.”
“Well, maybe we could talk about it over a drink. I know I could use one.”
“You speak my thoughts, friend,” Price said, putting his thin hand on Finn's shoulder. “We missed you.”
The Night Watch
It was late. The night watch had been on for three hours when Stephanie finally started for her quarters. She had started her duty before day watch was on shift. Repairs were almost finished, training was going well but everyone was still learning about the ship and maintenance, engineering and security staff were all in the high demand. They were also doing training simulations and live drills. The schedule was full.
Captain Valance had made exploring the rest of the ship a priority. As a result she constantly had at least two squads moving through the ship. Slowly picking through compartments that hadn't been opened for decades, finding anything she could possibly imagine in spaces she'd never expect.
Someone had even converted an empty torpedo tube into three laundry drums. The compartment had sealed perfectly during an emergency of some kind and since no one had ever gone back to empty the makeshift barrels or turn the environmental controls back on what was inside was rotten mush. Whatever the clothes were made of had broken down into something no one wanted to deal with.
People were finally starting to settle into life on the ship though. With two large observation lounges open, called bars by the crew, and inebriating beverage rationing in place on the materializers, people even had a place to socialize and unwind without worrying about getting too intoxicated.
She normally made a stop in the lower lounge, the bar popular with security and intelligence crew at the end of her duty shift, but she had been on for nineteen hours. It had been a good day, however. The Captain had made an hour long appearance in a boarding simulation and made a very good impression on everyone. She knew he was there to blow off steam, but her staff benefited from watching him move with precision, speed and great tactical expertise. Stephanie knew him well enough to just enjoy the show, he treated the sim like a game and at his level of experience it did no harm.
People were starting to respect her more every day as well. It would take more time, but people were falling in line, finding their places and looking to her for direction.
Stephanie was completely in her own head as she rounded the corner. Barely paying attention to the long, broad hall ahead as she automatically made her way to her quarters.
“By my count you still owe me one girlfriend,” Frost boomed at her as he came out of the lift behind.
Starting at the sudden sound, she spun and glared at him. “That's the crudest thing I've ever heard.”
He grinned back at her. “Too soon?”
“There's never a good time for a crack like that,” she stood watching him, brow furrowed, her hands drawing back her long coat and settling on her hips. “She might have been on the wrong side but she deserves our respect.”
His expression softened. “I'm sorry lass, the line in the sand's real deep for me, 'specially since she used me as a bridge over it.”
Despite being offended, she had to admit he was right. She didn't like Grace much when everyone thought she was on their side, let alone after she'd exposed her as a spy. “I get it, all's forgiven Shamus.”
Frost walked right up to her, nose to nose. He really wasn't more than five or six centimetres taller. “Love it when you call me by my first, lass,” he said through a crooked grin.
Stephanie looked into his eyes, those clear blue grey eyes. “When I call you Shamus? It's your name isn't it?”
“Aye, sounds better when you're sayin' it,” he said quietly.
She glanced around, looking for anyone who might be looking on.
“There's no one about, night watch is on a skeleton crew.”
“You're fishing in the wrong pond Shamus,” she said with a tight lipped smile.
“Poor girl, hasn't sunk in yet. We're swimmin' in an ocean now lass,” he put his hand on her waist and slipped it across her vacsuit to her back. “Have ta stay together more n' ever.”
That feeling she had when he was helping her in the armoured suit, like she was wrapped in a natural moment and all the right things were happening, returned. Maybe she was just tired, but when he closed his eyes and his lips were just about to touch hers, her arms went around his neck and she kissed him back.
