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The sewing machine jammed up like it hated him, and Quayl sighed. “What am I doing wrong?” He said. His project was spread across one of the dining tables in the mess hall. It was a bunch of nine-by-six-foot pieces of fabric. “Geez, I’m stupid. It’s supposed to go the other way, no wonder it’s not working.” He changed the direction of his stitch on the fleece, liner, and flannel pieces. Quayl let out a frustrated breath and the feeder on the hand-held sewing machine glided along the edge of the fabric easily, the machine automatically fed the fabric through instead of going against it. He stopped every few inches to pluck the build-up of fleece fluff around the needle. He was getting the hang of it and progress was being made… sort of.
Junne came into the mess hall for a snack and a drink. He saw Quayl’s project and watched him sew along the seams. “You might want to double that up.” He said.
“How do I do that?” Quayl showed his incompetence.
“Do another line next to it. If one stitch fails, the next one down will still hold.” He advised.
“Oh! Thanks for the tip.” He said and Junne tipped his hat. Junne went to the replicator and asked for a small oatmeal pie and a bottle of apple juice. He took a bite of the pie before snapping his fingers once.
“Hey, that reminds me.” He swallowed his bite while Quayl halted his progress, stopping the clatter of the sewing machine so they could talk. “I have a letter I want to write to my dad on Dakota 2. I’m sure he’s still there, it’s a little out of the way from things because it’s a farming kind of place.” He said.
Quayl nodded. “Sure, write the letter, we can drop it off at the nearest post office and it’ll find its way. You know it will.”
“Awesome,” Junne confirmed and proceeded on his pie.
Gem came on over the intercom asking for the captain. “Honey, we’re being called on the ultra-long range. It’s a relayed signal.”
Junne hit the intercom near the replicator. “On my way, dear.” He said. He gestured with a wave of his hand to Quayl for him to follow.
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The crew joined while the captain sat in his chair and cleared his throat. He hit the button for the communicator to accept the call. On the view screen was a familiar face they hadn’t seen in a long while. “Hey there mail carriers!”
“Hermes!” Junne shouted, and everyone was surprised. “How have you been?”
He had bags under his eyes and equally sunk. An aura over the call could be felt before anything was said. “It’s been rough. We have had trouble with the Namina here.” He said.
Quayl and Hebu joined the bridge, but Quayl quickly noticed Hermes and stopped Hebu behind him. She was Namina and didn’t know if Hermes would recognize her. He didn’t want to risk it and stood outside the door so they could listen and be out of sight. He put a finger over his lip to tell her to stay quiet.
The crew was concerned for Hermes and the Puuqpu. “What’s going on? Can we help?” Junne asked.
Hermes wiped the sweat from his forehead and sighed. “It’s more important that you perform your duties.” He said. “We’ll be ok. We’ve managed so far. Lundy is off being a genius. He’s working on expediting his portal technology. It’ll help us get out of the nebula easier. We can’t leave right now, we have made the entire nebula highly acidic. Nobody can get in, and nobody can get out. Portals can jump us back and forth. For now, we set up listening posts around us to warn us if anyone comes by. We have gravity beams to pull the Namina ships in and burn them up.” It was a brilliant move. A nebula would make the ultimate defense, but as he said, it had challenges and limitations.
Junne nodded. “Very nice. So what do you need from us?”
Hermes sighed deeply again. “Well, first, you haven’t been sharing the Puuqpu tech with anyone, have you?” The crew was quiet, guilty of doing exactly that. They all felt they were in deep trouble. Hermes read through their palpable tension and knew the answer. “Good.” He said. “I was going to warn you not to but if you had given it to the military, and anyone else against the Namina for that matter, I implore you to do so. We’re all in deep trouble, and everyone needs the best advantage they can get.” The collective held breath was released. “I’ve advised Admiral Brinus to share military technology with all who are fighting. There has also been a draft for all capable ships across every known territory.”
Junne took point with telling him. “Yeah, we have shared the tech. I’m shocked to hear that there is so much trouble.”
“It’s not going well. The Namina is capable of matching every tactic and weapon we have, and we’re vastly outnumbered. I’m sending you coordinates to rendezvous with a recon ship.” He turned to Gem. “Ms. Gem, you’re being relocated to the Kingfisher. They need your expertise. They need ECCM.”
Gem added. “Electronic counter-countermeasures? Are they using electronic countermeasures? That’s just… dirty!”
“Indeed, Admiral Brinus needs you. When you meet up with the Tangiers, board it and it will get you to where you need to go.” He ordered her. The crew was in shock. Junne and Gem looked at each other and waited for someone to talk.
Gem questioned the order. “I have the right to refuse an order, right?” She said.
“Not in times like this, you won’t even face a court-martial, you’ll just be locked up and utilized as needed. As far as the rest of you, I need the Aerios to continue delivering letters at all costs.” Everyone looked at Gem, everyone wanted her to say no right away, but the silence was the damning part. Her role in the military was paramount to the survival of the humans, and many more races of people. “I’ll, uh, give you two some time. The Tangiers won’t go anywhere without you but don’t keep them waiting too long. Is Quayl there?”
Her eyes welled up and she left the bridge shaking and Junne followed. She passed by Hebu, and without any forethought, shoved her to the floor in a blind hate for her kind. Quayl helped Hebu from the floor, and she straightened her robes and nodded that she was fine. “I deserved that.” She said.
“Not the time.” Quayl told her. He entered the bridge to talk to Hermes. “I’m here.” He said in an angry tone.
“Is it just you?” He asked, and Quayl closed the door to the bridge.
“Yeah, what do you want?” Quayl didn’t care what his orders were going to be. Unlike Gem, he wasn’t military, and he didn’t even want to obey the courier’s code at this point. He was thinking of turning the ship around himself and heading to Timberokee where they would likely be the safest.
“I understand your anger. Admiral Brinus is a prodigy in what he does, he will keep her safe.” He reassured him but he was having none of it. “As for you, I only have the information you need.” Quayl let the moment hang awkwardly, forcing Hermes to speak next. “You’re like me.” He said. “Among the great ones in our divine neighborhood, there is one that doesn’t like to live as long as the rest of us. Her name is Cancer, the crab that rose up for literally bugging Hercules – though he kinda deserved it. You are Cancer reborn. You have great power.” He informed him.
Quayl gritted his teeth. “Do I have the power to keep Junne and Gem together?” A more awkward silence came and Quayl wanted him to feel his unwavering anger. Junne and Gem’s relationship was an inspiration to him – to everybody – and who was he to break them up?
“I’m sorry.” He said. Quayl didn’t accept it. “Cancer, every so often, molts her shell so she can grow, like crabs do. You need to grow and get stronger. You’re still very…” He gestured about him. “...squishy.”
Quayl stood defiant. “Why?” It was a valid question. What was so damn important that he had to be strong for?
“We have located a place that would deeply hurt the Namina. We need your strength.” He said.
“A devastating blow to the Namina would be nice right now. It’ll be good to have something to hit.” Quayl admitted.
“Good. Hold onto that anger for when you get there.” Hermes said.
Quayl smiled. “You bet I’ll hold onto the rage, but it’s for more than the Namina.” He threatened.
Hermes hit some buttons on his console and signed off without any more words. Quayl sighed and stood in silence. He thought it would be the Namina that would tear them all apart, not their friends. Not friends though, but allies. They were treating them like assets and it wasn’t appreciated.
Quayl joined everyone in the mess hall. Rob was filled in as well while he wiped his washed hands from grease and grime. Hebu stood back in fear that Gem would lash out at her again. Gem cried, makeup liquifying and running rivers with the tears, and huddled into Junne. She held onto him and Junne held her, keeping her together the best he could. Not a word could, or even would, be said.
Stevero joined the group and was immediately stopped by Quayl. He filled him in. “Gem is being transferred to a military ship to help with their Namina problem.” Stevero said nothing and felt the gravity of the situation. Everyone loved Gem.
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The Aerios traveled as slow as possible. Gem and Junne were quiet, and from his sympathy, Rob installed a chair right beside the captain’s seat so they could be even closer for the time they had left. The somber quiet of the ship felt like someone had passed away and everyone was in mourning because they were.
Quayl sat at his table and continued to pluck away at his blanket project. Even the whirr of the sewing machine seemed quiet in respect. Hebu was sitting across from him, hating herself and what her people were doing to good people far more than ever.
Junne radioed on the intercom to the whole ship. There was silence before his words, displaying his reluctance. “We have… arrived.” He announced quietly. Quayl stopped and stared at his work. He was about halfway done with his blanket. He got up, continuing to stare at his work, feeling discouraged and questioned if he would even finish. The blanket was become thick now. He left it behind to go to the bridge.
Everyone was in attendance, and in short order, they were hailed by the military ship Tangiers. Time seemed to slow and stretch, and the light beeps and the ‘incoming call’ notification displayed on their heads-up screen. Gem took Junne’s hand and guided it for him, and they hit the button together.
“This is Captain Junne of the Aerios.” He said.
The captain on the other side spoke as well. “I’m Captain Valentino of the Tangiers. I’m ordered to make a transfer with you for a Ms. Gem?”
“I’m here.” Gem said. “I’m… uh… I guess I’m not ready.” She said.
Junne held her hand tightly. At that moment, he wasn’t strong enough and let his eyes tear up. Seeing him cry made Gem cry as well.
Valentino spoke. “Very well. We will dock with you and make the exchange.”
The moment was overwhelming, but Quayl picked on what was said. “Exchange? Is there someone else?”
“Yes,” Valentino confirmed. “We have a Mr. Samuel who wishes to board your vessel. See you in a moment.” The transmission cut.
“It’s time.” Gem said, and Junne hugged her. Seeing the captain break down struck the heartstrings of every member of the crew. He was usually the funny one, the one that brought light to the dismal universe that they now lived in, but today, the jokes withered.
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The docking port had connected, and Quayl and Rob met Valentino there. With him was a passenger. He wore the green courier’s coat and held a satchel bag like Quayl’s own. He was older, had gray hair and an aged face, and seemed nervous to be in new company.
“Hello.” He said and walked past Quayl and Rob into the ship. It was strange. He didn’t take any time to introduce himself.
Valentino offered what little information he had about him. “He’s Mr. Samuel. He is a bit eccentric. Where is Gem?”
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“She is packing her things.” Quayl told him.
Valentino held up his hand to pause the conversation and held the other hand to an earpiece. “Acknowledged, go to red alert.” The lights on his ship through the docking hallway turned red and flashed the warning. “Namina ships have been detected in the area. We need to retreat. We will send you coordinates to a location where we can conceal ourselves.”
The docking port detached, retracted, and closed, and the two ships separated. The Tangiers sent coordinates to the Aerios and the military craft followed. Should they be pursued, they could easily drop behind and defend.
Despite the close encounter, both ships had made it safely to the hiding spot. It was a vast asteroid reef, and they set themselves deep inside it. Unfortunately, or perhaps fortunately, they couldn’t complete their transfer. They were on high alert since the Namina ships could still be in pursuit. It was a tense moment of ‘wait and see.’
Mr. Samuel sat in the corner of the mess hall, enjoying a very nice sub-sandwich from the replicators. The Aerios had a much nicer menu than that of the Tangiers as well as more sophisticated equipment by fidelity. Quayl came in, there was no need for him to be on the bridge, and he wanted to get to know their guest. “Hi.” He greeted and sat down.
“Hi.” Samuel replied and chose to stare into the abyss of his sandwich.
“Do you mind telling me about yourself? Where you’re from, what is your postal designation?” Again he said nothing. “How about your ID number? Where were you heading?”
Samuel was irritated and gave an unexpected answer. “They’re gonna kill us, ya know? The Namina are everywhere.” He took another bite of his sandwich. “At least your replicated food doesn’t taste like health food. It’s got all the fats and sugars that had been removed.”
Quayl stared at him before he finally noticed. “Where’s your flag shirt?” He asked.
“My what?” He replied and hesitated before giving a nervous answer. “Oh, I left it behind.” He said.
Quayl suspected something and began to explain it. “If you really were a courier, you would be wearing your flag shirt. It’s vital to the uniform.” Samuel put his sandwich down. “I figured. You’re not a real courier.” He froze solid and Quayl continued his investigation. “Yeah, you’re safe here though. I also figured being on a military ship would be stressful. So, what happened?”
Samuel took a deep breath. “I needed to get off of Springton. I saw a courier, a young guy, I saw the opportunity to knock him out, and there was nobody around so I hit him with a plank of wood. He was out cold and I took his bag and coat. I was then allowed passage on the scout ship. Springton was consumed and destroyed by the Namina, and I escaped. Coming here still isn’t safe. We’re going to die.”
It was worse than what Quayl was expecting. Samuel wasn’t stable, possibly a danger, but Quayl knew that gaining his friendship and trust was pivotal. “Sadly, I don’t blame you. A lot of people are doing crazy things to survive.”
“I know.” He said and hung his head. “But what good did it do? The Namina have destroyed most of the inner and outer planets. There are only about 61 planets left to go.” Quayl was taken aback.
“61?”
“Out of the registered 2,719 planets, 61. I heard the military talk about it. They’re scared. Everyone is scared.” He said. He looked at his sandwich like he wasn’t hungry anymore.
Quayl leaned an elbow on the table and rubbed his forehead. “Holy crap…” He said. “Do you know which ones?” He asked.
“Uhm, the very inner planets. Pandora, Hyperion, New Saturn, New Mars, the Dakotas, that area is still left.” There was a dense hang in the air.
Simultaneously, they both spoke the name of the one planet they were worried most about. “Earth.” Samuel pushed the plate with the Sandwich away from him, his appetite was now completely gone.
The old man was emotional. “I took the life of a young man so I could live. Me, an old man, someone who has lived their life already. I am an utter fool.”
“We all make mistakes, even grave mistakes. It’s ok.” Quayl reassured.
“Not like this.” Samuel responded.
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Hebu knocked on the door to Gem’s quarters. In a moment, she answered. “What do you want.”
“I want to help you,” Hebu said. “I know you hate me, but I truly believe I can help.”
Gem snapped back. “I hope humans and all the people your kind has tormented rise up and destroy you all. I hope your kind suffers for it!” Gem yelled.
“Your ECCM won’t work unless you know how the Namina systems function. I know how it works.” She hung her head in shame. “Please let me help.” Hebu kneeled and bowed to Gem, placing her head as low as the floor itself.
Gem clenched her jaw and put her foot and shoe on the back of her head. “Tell me why I shouldn’t stomp you through the floor right now.”
Hebu didn’t move or protest. “The Namina uses a unified system. We use an entangled quantum computing system, attack one and you will attack them all, it’s our biggest weakness.”
Gem removed her foot but remained unhappy with her. “That’s good information to have.” She said, “Get up, we’ve got work to do.” Hebu rose from the floor, leaving behind a small puddle of tears.
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Quayl made a call back to Hermes. Junne was with him sitting quietly in the captain’s seat, numb from how things were happening, and didn’t speak. He had an action figure in his hand, switching them out once in a while to try and figure out which one he wanted to give Gem as a parting gift. He would choose one, set it down, go back to writing his letter to his father, and then in moments of thought, he would choose a different action figure.
Finally, Hermes answered their call. “This is Hermes.”
“We quit.” Hermes started to speak but was interrupted. “I don’t want to hear it. We will take Gem and the rest of us and make a run to distant foreign waters.” He declared unwavering and did not stutter.
Junne looked up. “We are?” He asked Quayl and he gave him a quick nod. “We are!” He said, and hope was restored for the moment. Hermes sighed and pinched his nose. The transmission cut and a moment passed. “Did we… are we going to be ok?” Junne asked.
The Tangiers turned about and faced them. Their weapons were armed and locked on the Aerios. Quayl and Junne held their breath. Junne clenched his fingers in the seat and held on. “I don’t think they’re going to take no for an answer.” He pointed out.
“I’m sorry Junne,” Quayl spoke. “I shouldn’t have done that.”
“You had to try. To be frank, I thought of it too.”
Quayl sat down on the opposite side of the captain’s chair and the bridge. “What stopped you?” He asked.
“The fear of being blown up.” Quayl nodded. “Maybe we shouldn’t move a muscle until things clear up.” He said as tension built.
“WE GOT IT!” Gem burst out as she entered the bridge. It made Junne startle and knock over most of his action figures, and Quayl fell out of his seat entirely. “Radio Hermes and Valentino right now!” She ordered.
Junne looked at Quayl and shrugged. “Hailing Hermes and Valentino.” The call hummed and rang.
Hermes answered first. “Now what?” He asked, obviously peeved. He saw Gem. “I know you want to stay with the Aerios, but you can’t, I’m sorry Gem.” She said nothing but smiled very widely. This baffled Hermes. “What?” He asked.
Valentino answered the call. “Tangiers here.” That was all he said.
Gem cleared her throat. “Ok, I’m going to need to walk you through this bit by bit.” She gestured to Hebu hiding off-camera in the doorway to come to her. She refused but Gem only gestured more to her. She huddled into herself and expected a bad reaction to her presence. She was right.
“A NAMINA!” Valentino and Hermes exclaimed, they knew what she was. Hebu took steps back but Gem took her hand and held it tight, reassuring her.
“It’s ok.” She said to her, and turned to the view screens.” This is Hebu. She is a defector of the Namina and has been helping us with getting to know her people.”
“She must die!” Valentino yelled.
“BEFORE YOU KILL US,” Gem yelled out and stopped him from hitting the big red button. “You should probably hear what we have first, then you can blow us up.”
Hebu stepped forward shyly. “I am Hebu. Yes, I am Namina, yes I am a traitor to my people, but we are not all the same. Some of us hate that we are causing such pain. I have been helping the crew of the Aerios and have kept them and others safe while providing information about the Namina.”
Hermes asked the next question. “Like what?”
Gem continued. “Like how the Namina’s computer system works.” Everyone looked at each other. “Ok, it’s pretty simple. We only have the barest of quantum technology, our QE relays are the best we have. Well, they have entire systems, and like how ours take up a lot of space, theirs are divided among lots of smaller places combined as one. Ships, planets, and outposts are on one single network. Attack one and the whole thing comes down.” The silence that followed was astounding. It was a hell of a breakthrough. Gem continued and held up a pen drive and her personal data pad. “On this pad is a very intelligent virus. The algorithm is copied from our Puuqpu technology, and combined with what we know of the Namina systems.”
Valentino asked, “Wouldn’t that backfire?”
“Shut up, I’m not done. Because our QE systems are very limited and aren’t linked to our regular systems, the backdraft won’t affect us because none of it is connected.” She held up the pen drive. “This is the trigger. Plug in the pad to any QE relay and it’ll go. But I suggest you take every hard drive you can find to store the stolen data. Once it’s done, plug in the pen drive and it’ll kill their computers. Not just their ships but their entire civilization.” The aura of accomplishment was palpable, and it was truly unbelievable. “You don’t need me anymore. I’ve already done the work, you need to do the rest.”
Hermes and Valentino paused for a moment before Hermes spoke out. He trusted the crew’s judgment, they had already done extraordinary things. “Give it to Valentino. I trust you guys with my life, I just hope you know what you’re doing.”
“Yes,” Valentino added. “You’re expertise will no longer be required. You can stay on the Aerios.” The eruption of relief among the crew was like they had scored a goal in some fanatical sport. The yelling and cheering could be heard across the ship. It called the attention of Rob and Stevero. Quayl quickly explained it to them and they were relieved. Junne and Gem embraced and held onto each other, and they never wanted to be apart and not even come this close ever again.
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Quayl was working on his blanket and Junne had joined him to write his letter. He had to change some parts of it because the outcome of recent events had changed. Gem hung on him, leaned on him, and occasionally kissed his cheek in appreciation. Quayl’s blanket was almost done and he was working on the last part. Samuel was finishing his Sandwich sitting next to Quayl. He thought that if he trusted anyone, it would be him. Quayl was kind and understanding. He had the replicator copy his designation shirt with the Siskoway flag on it. This made his uniform complete, and he had been semi-initiated into the courier’s way. Junne finished writing his letter, and Gem took the pen from him to write her own message at the bottom of the page.
“Hi Junne’s dad! It’s Gem. I want to tell you that you have a wonderful son and I love him very VERY much. He’s a good man, and you should be proud.” It’s all she wrote, and all she needed to write. She signed it with a loop and a fancy flick of her wrist. The letter was done.
“There, all finished. I hope he likes it.” He licked the flap of the envelope and sealed it, then wrote his dad’s name and his coordinates.
The letter glowed, and this got everyone’s attention. “No…” Junne whispered. “NO!” The letter finished glowing and turned into a divine letter. “NO NO NOOOOO!!!” He screamed. Gem held onto him, held him together just as he had for her. “GOD DAMN IT!” The amount of upset caused him to pound his fists into the table.
“Honey, it’s ok. He’s safe. We know he is and he’s not in pain. He will want to hear from you, he should know that you’re safe too.” Gem reassured him.
Quayl turned to Samuel. “I thought you said the Dakotas were ok?”
“Last I heard they were. What’s happening?”
Quayl gave him the short version. “When someone writes a letter to someone dead, it turns into a divine letter. They can receive the letter in the afterlife and read it. It’s what we do. We deliver these letters.”
Samuel was speechless, and easily put together that Junne’s father was dead.
Stevero radioed over the intercom. “The Namina patrol ships have left the area and are out of range. We are clear to go.” He said. “Meet the Tangiers captain at the docking port.”
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The crew all met at the docking port. Captain Valentino was eager to proceed with the virus and give the Namina one hell of a hit. “Thank you, Ms. Gem. You will be known as a hero.”
“Nah,” She replied. “I just want to safely live my life from now on with my love.” She proclaimed.
Junne came forward. “Hi,” He timidly asked. “I wrote a letter to my dad. Can you deliver it?”
Valentino declined. “No, we are heading straight for the inner planets. The Namina are closing in fast. We will push our engines as hard as we can, maybe lose a few nuts and bolts, and we’ll be shaking along the way, but we will run like hell.” Junne was deeply saddened by this.
Samuel spoke up. “The letter is going to the inner planet area anyway. I will deliver it.”
Junne handed him the letter. “You’re being entrusted with a lot.”
Gem handed Valentino the data pad and the pen drive. “You’re being entrusted with a lot here too.”
Valentino saluted Gem and Samuel shook Quayl’s hand. They both turned to leave with the two most important things in the universe.
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The crew unanimously decided to stay in the coral reef and remain hidden so they could have some downtime from the emotional ordeal they’d been through. Poor Junne went through an emotional rollercoaster, and unfortunately, he didn’t come out the other side of the day unscathed. The crew mourned with Junne, lit candles for him, and spoke about his father to the crew. He told stories about how tough he was, but always caring and joyful. Junne got his sense of humor from him. They enjoyed a favorite meal of his and even drank his favorite kind of wine. The evening was a celebration of his life and his accomplishments, Junne being his greatest one.
Afterward, Quayl continued working on his blanket, and it was soon finished. He folded it and delicately placed it inside a box, closed it, and sealed it with some tape. On the side, he wrote the name it was going to, and of all things, it turned into a divine package. It was ready to be delivered.
Quayl and Hebu sat in her quarters. She took a breath and began her meditation, and in a moment, Heather appeared.
“Hi.” She said and huddled in on herself. She was cold enough to make her breath visible in the air. Just to be sure, she tugged on the chain that bound her a couple of times. She was still bound to Hebu.
“Hi Heather, I made you a gift.” He handed her the package in all its shiny and ornate splendor. She took it and began opening it, excited to see the contents within.
“What is it?” She asked, and Quayl just smiled widely. With an easy pull of a flap, the box came open. She looked inside and pulled out the blanket. “Oh my!” She was surprised. She held it up to look at it and noticed what it was. “It’s shaped like an envelope! It even has a flap!”
“Yeah, that was my dumb idea.”
“It’s not dumb! It’s beautiful! I know you made it yourself.” She opened it up and covered herself with it, snuggled it, and felt warm. “It’s so wonderful, and so soft too!” Then, the blanket changed. It began to glow and become ornate and golden The envelope blanket looked like a divine letter. It made Heather’s hair float and color was restored to her pale skin and face.
“Whoa.” Quayl was surprised. “I wasn’t expecting that, I haven’t delivered a divine package before.”
Heather giggled. “Am I certified mail now?”
Quayl nodded. “You are definitely certified.” With the blanket, Heather could stay out longer than she had been able to. She felt safe with it, and they shared conversations and stories all night. Even Hebu in meditation was smiling.