Down Hardscrabble Well 4 of ?
Isolde and Pat were in the Mess Hall, squabbling as usual. Maggie sighed tiredly. "Could you two just try to get along for more than a week at a go?"
Pat snorted into his drink. "Because it was so serene and peaceful when you two were together?"
The captain grabbed a nutritional brick and slid in at the table. Isolde pecked her on the cheek. "So I hear Doc had bad news."
"We pulled a podful of trouble. Tell me the crate inventory made this all worth it."
The red headed woman beside her pulled out a plassheet. "We got tons of food bricks, a buttload of radiation treatments, and some pesticide." Since when does any engineered crop need help killing pests?"
The brunette ran her fingers through her hair and shrugged.
"What aren't you telling us about those seeds?" Isolde pressed.
"I should go check on Pin. Make sure we're still headed for our rendezvous with Downwind." Her arm was snagged as she stood.
"I'm not one of those idiot stalk eaters that hire on for run for a little extra grub. Talk to me."
Pat watched the exchange with deep interest. His face lightened briefly before it darkened. He put his hand on his girlfriend's releasing his sister. Smiling he nodded at the door. "You should talk to Singh before we get there. Make sure the station's not hot or anything."
"Since when does anyone care enough about a low crop yield bubble like Downwind enough to make it hot?" Isolde shook her head. "Are you going insane?"
"Still safer if I talk to him before we get there." Maggie smiled at her brother. He swore he wasn't psychic, but sometimes... "Catch you later?"
He nodded decisively. "Yes you will."
The ship's vibration shifted underfoot. Maggie ran the rest of the way up to the control cabin. "Pin?"
"Downwind is tanked. Hell half the bubbles and stations between Farreach and Well-lip are out. I'm pulling us back into Badlands until we can figure out something else."
"What the hell?"
"I got heavy military chatter. They are looking for the pod and blockading all our usual dodges and hidey holes. Whatever the hell we pulled, its fucking hotter than the sun."
Maggie couldn't tell Pin about the heirlooms, not yet. Poor guy was already working on a coronary. "Keep us hidden while I find out more about our guest."
"Guest?" The pilot swivelled with wide eyes. "They gotta be looking for her for a reason right?" He growled. "She must know something." Maggie shivered at his dark grin. "I bet that's it. She knows something that could tank the Establishment. She's the start of the revolution, isn't she? I knew it. I knew there was something about today."
Maggies brows raised as she backed away slowly. What was it about her that drew the oddest crew members. "Yea Revolution," she muttered.
"Damn straight," Pin laughed as he punched the air.
Pat snorted into his drink. "Because it was so serene and peaceful when you two were together?"
The captain grabbed a nutritional brick and slid in at the table. Isolde pecked her on the cheek. "So I hear Doc had bad news."
"We pulled a podful of trouble. Tell me the crate inventory made this all worth it."
The red headed woman beside her pulled out a plassheet. "We got tons of food bricks, a buttload of radiation treatments, and some pesticide." Since when does any engineered crop need help killing pests?"
The brunette ran her fingers through her hair and shrugged.
"What aren't you telling us about those seeds?" Isolde pressed.
"I should go check on Pin. Make sure we're still headed for our rendezvous with Downwind." Her arm was snagged as she stood.
"I'm not one of those idiot stalk eaters that hire on for run for a little extra grub. Talk to me."
Pat watched the exchange with deep interest. His face lightened briefly before it darkened. He put his hand on his girlfriend's releasing his sister. Smiling he nodded at the door. "You should talk to Singh before we get there. Make sure the station's not hot or anything."
"Since when does anyone care enough about a low crop yield bubble like Downwind enough to make it hot?" Isolde shook her head. "Are you going insane?"
"Still safer if I talk to him before we get there." Maggie smiled at her brother. He swore he wasn't psychic, but sometimes... "Catch you later?"
He nodded decisively. "Yes you will."
The ship's vibration shifted underfoot. Maggie ran the rest of the way up to the control cabin. "Pin?"
"Downwind is tanked. Hell half the bubbles and stations between Farreach and Well-lip are out. I'm pulling us back into Badlands until we can figure out something else."
"What the hell?"
"I got heavy military chatter. They are looking for the pod and blockading all our usual dodges and hidey holes. Whatever the hell we pulled, its fucking hotter than the sun."
Maggie couldn't tell Pin about the heirlooms, not yet. Poor guy was already working on a coronary. "Keep us hidden while I find out more about our guest."
"Guest?" The pilot swivelled with wide eyes. "They gotta be looking for her for a reason right?" He growled. "She must know something." Maggie shivered at his dark grin. "I bet that's it. She knows something that could tank the Establishment. She's the start of the revolution, isn't she? I knew it. I knew there was something about today."
Maggies brows raised as she backed away slowly. What was it about her that drew the oddest crew members. "Yea Revolution," she muttered.
"Damn straight," Pin laughed as he punched the air.