Failure is totally an option. Sometimes, no matter how much it sucks ass, failure is an option that can allow one to reset and continue forward. It is very hard For humans to agree to this concept. Humans will flounder for great lengths of time in the throws of mediocrity just to try and avoid failure, when allowing the failure and starting anew often leads to lessons learned and a greater chance of success. Unfortunately there are a whole gaggle of human beings who have been so overcome by the fear of failure that they never learn a damn thing and end up screwing the pooch more often than not. Dave was not one of these humans.
As he sat on the deck of the Murph, just inside the hatch to the cargo pod access tunnel, he ran over the events of the previous five minutes again and again. Once the biological alarm sounded his load, and the pay day that came with it, was pretty much done for. He knew this, of course, but now he was racking his brain for ways to turn this failure into a future success. The sad part is that the game was completely different now. He knew what to expect as a trucker back on earth when a load was late or not completed altogether. You didn't get paid. But out here he didn't know if losing the credits are all that would happen, or if he would be set upon by bounty hunters.
As he had so many times recently, he relied upon his A.I. partner for assistance. "So what the hell have I gotten myself into, Cam?" he asked. Normally she would respond nearly instantly, but this time the pause was noticeable. "Well Dave, the animal we have in that cargo pod is a species known as the Galactic Longhaired Kryx from the planet Sunnara. There are a several different breeds of Kryx in this part of the galaxy. It is an oddity that, about five hundred years ago, all planets hosting breeds of Kryx were declared untouchable sanctuaries. This Kryx was clearly taken against galactic law. That being said, whomever contracted this delivery will probably be highly upset when they find out the delivery is not going to happen. I believe humans would call this, damned if you do, damned if you don't.".
Dave paced back and forth for a few moments pondering the situation. On one side of the equation you have an obligation to complete the job you signed the contract to do. On the other side it's a big fluffy cat who seems to have more than just a modicum of intelligence. He resolved to stand by his decision to not complete his delivery. Fear of the unknown would not dictate the fate of such a magnificent creature until he had evidence to suggest that it should. "Cam, how does returning to the mine affect our supplies at this point?", Dave asked. "We have enough reaction mass to return home, but only just. My concern is what we do with the Kryx once we get there. What are your plans Dave?", Cam responded.
"I think we need to return it to Sunnara. We can justify any of a dozen different actions at this point, but the only one that feels right is to return it home." Dave said. As he finished the statement he began to think of several complications that went along with that course of action. "We'll need to change my name again, along with the Murph's transponder and ID's." He added. "I have been concerned about your proclivity for drawing attention to yourself, Dave.", Cam responded. "Changing your name and the ships idents may not be enough this time. I think it's time we moved on from the mine and find another place to set up." She said.
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Dave winced, as he had given some thought to the fact that they may have to relocate. He certainly was not trying to stick out like a sore thumb, but seemed to end up doing things that may result in just that. "Agreed. Once we arrive I will start packing up as fast as I can. What are the chances of finding other accommodations that are in the vicinity of Sunnara?" he asked. Cam chuckled softly, "I already have been searching for other sites to call home. Once you decided to stop in at that bar on Uslaw, I deduced that we would need backup options. The star system that Sunnara is in isn't heavily populated by colonists, but there are a sizeable amount of mining operations in the area. I have tagged at least three locations that are to be scheduled for deconstruction, but have not been yet. Just remember, Dave, the more we do this the more easily we will be discovered if anyone with any skill starts looking into it." She said.
Not for the first time Dave wondered if he had went about this whole being accidentally kidnapped and trying to survive in an alien society thing wrong. He assumed that there were any of a hundred different little decisions that could have made things easier. On the other hand, he was quite sure that life back on good old Earth would never have been this exciting. "What about the ship's name? I assume I'll have to take on a new one, but The Murph?" He asked. "So far all interaction with any official systems has only included the identification and transponder codes which I have been able to cycle. The name of the ship itself will take much more scrutiny by officials to become a worry. For now." Cam said in reply.
Dave's brain suddenly switched to a topic that just occurred to him. "Oh shit.... almost literally." he said in passing. Cam chimed in, "Shit? What shit? I don't sense any shit?" Dave shook his head but replied, "Since our new friend in there was in stasis they didn't need to relieve themselves. Now that they are awake, and we're all out of kitty litter, that cargo pod is going to have quite the smell when we arrive at the mine. Don't you think?" Cam spoke in a matter of fact tone when she said, "I think our new friend has already taken care of that." "What?" Dave said.
He opened the inner hatch and peered through into the cargo pod. To his amazement he saw that all of the contents of the first supply crate had been removed, and the crate pushed into the far corner. Currently, the Kryx was balancing on two sides of the crate with it's four paws and urinating into it. He figured he probably shouldn't be staring, but continued to watch as the cat finished it's business, jumped down off the crate and slammed the lid shut with a single paw. "Well. problem solved. If only we could teach earth felines to clean up after themselves." Dave said. "You can, but Humans are typically too lazy to do so. " Cam replied.