The flight back to Shadow Hunter was a tense affair. I was still in fight or flight mode as I scrambled to get things ready for my injured and uninvited house guests.
“Prep the medical bay, Bob.”
“We aren’t set up to treat trauma patients, Captain. As I’ve said before. All the drugs have expired. The only option is nanobots.”
“Well, get those ready then!”
“Do you want a kill switch installed on them?”
“What?” I shrieked. I was glad only I could hear Bob’s responses.
“To shut the nanobots down after finishing their task, Captain. Not kill the host.”
I cursed. “Fine! Don’t scare me like that.”
“Ginny, what’s going on,” Viper asked. “I think you have some explaining to do.”
I waved him off, ignoring his question for now. I didn’t want to explain. I didn’t want to reveal my ship either. I also had to think up what to say. For now, I had more pressing concerns. Athena was dying and I needed to get her medical attention as quickly as I could. Or so I thought. I really didn’t know, but with John’s death fresh in my mind, I wasn’t taking any chances. I didn’t have time to answer annoying questions.
“I’ll have five injections ready and waiting, Captain.”
“Thank you, Bob. Lock down the rest of the ship, I don’t want the house guests wandering.”
“Shall I have the security bots meet you when you land?”
“What? What security bots?” I demanded.
I noticed Viper giving Arby a long critical look. He was still hovering over my shoulder.
“When you didn’t return as planned, I grew concerned, Captain. As per my standing orders. To keep you safe and assist you, it's part of my duties to make sure I have the means to meet my mission parameters. I had Arby fly materials up to the ship to manufacture four security bots while you were away.”
“Oh… that’s great.” The security bots that I’d first mistaken as war bots were a little terrifying. Even if they were working for me I’d always associate them with the killer machines that had tried to kill me. They would be helpful though. Even if they did give me the creeps.
“Thank you, Captain. I was worried my actions wouldn’t meet with your approval. I also requisitioned resources to make repairs to our main weapons systems. More materials will be needed to restore full function, but one of the point defense cannons is back online, giving the ship a small measure of defense.”
“Okay, that makes sense. What else did you do?”
“Ginny?”
“Not now Viper, I’ll explain everything… well, some… later. Once everyone is safe.”
“We need a doctor. Unless I’m mistaken we aren’t heading to a hospital. I’d like an explanation.”
Given the circumstances, that was fair. The planet was falling away below us and all he could see was the starry sky. Then the sun came into view as we got far enough from the planet.
“We’re going to my spaceship.”
“Do you have a doctor?”
“Not exactly, but what I do have is even better. I think.”
“You don’t know?” he pressed.
“Look! None of this was in my plans, nor was rescuing you or getting involved in your war! Now sit down and stop bothering me. I have a lot to do and most of it is for your injured people back there!”
He was a lot like his brother Rider. “Very well then, Ginny. Just let me know how I can help.”
Okay, he was a lot less annoying actually.
I huffed out a breath and some of the building stress went with it. “Thank you… how’s Athena? Is she…”
“She’ll be fine so long as she gets some medical treatment in the next few days.”
Days? I was surprised. John seemed to bleed out a lot faster. Maybe she wasn’t hit as badly. As I thought about it I realized John had been shot before he reached us with the news. He ran God only knows how far, and exerted himself, aggravating the wound the whole time. Of course, Athena wasn’t as bad off. They were also keeping pressure on it to stanch the bleeding, which John likely hadn’t had the luxury of doing. She’s going to be okay.
The last of my panic faded. I felt myself warming to Viper a lot faster than I’d expected. He’d proved himself reliable in the short time I’d known him. Defending Athena, and looking after both of us through the fighting. He didn’t even harp on me much for not shooting the thugs when we’d met. He kept his cool under pressure too. I liked that.
“We’re on approach. Strap in if you can.” I sent the clearance codes, a precaution I’d added to avoid anyone repeating my feat to gain access to the ship, and the hangar doors opened.
A few minutes later we landed and I opened the rear ramp. “Follow the security bots.”
“What the heck are those?” Moonbeam demanded.
Her shoulder had a cloth tied around it to stop the bleeding and I could see the pain in her eyes, but she was still cantankerous. Lock a captor in the bathroom one time and they never forgive you.
“They are machines programmed to provide security for the ship.”
“Your ship?” she asked.
“Yes. Now if you’re through with the questions, some of your friends need medical attention.”
She scowled but her grip tightened on Rider’s hand. I wondered if he knew the woman was in love with him. If he did, I’d seen no sign of it.
“What’s your name?” I asked the other freedom fighter we’d picked up.
“You can call me Salamander.”
I sighed. “You people and your fake names,” I muttered. He used his liberated rifle as a crutch, supporting his injured leg. A belt was cinched above the wound. Viper carried his brother Rider and I supported Athena with Moonbeam's help.
Bob had a hand cart waiting. “Thanks, Bob.”
“Of course, Captain.”
“Who’s Bob?” Salamander asked.
I ignored his question. He didn’t press me on it. He, like all the others, was looking around the hangar in awe. It hadn’t really sunk in for them yet that they were in space, but this was driving the point home. I felt a tinge of sadness for them. This was probably the dream of a lifetime for them and it was overshadowed by pain and injuries. Some of them had probably lost friends in the fighting too. If not tonight, then certainly during the war in general.
They will be off my ship by morning, I decided. Any general worth his salt could see the advantages to controlling space, and I wasn’t giving up my ship, nor was I a mercenary. I didn’t even like fighting. I couldn’t even kill a murdering rapist when he was charging me. Maybe that was pathetic, he certainly deserved it, it just wasn’t me. I didn’t want that on my conscience. Did ordering the ship to fire on the enemy count? I shivered as I pushed the hand cart with Atheana and Samamader on it toward the infirmary.
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Viper carried Rider and Moombean stayed by his side the whole way. Bob had the medical bay lit and ready to go. The dust from my first visit was gone and an RB unit was standing by the door to assist if necessary. The security bots escorted us and took up position by the door.
“Okay Bob, walk me through this,” I muttered.
He obliged me. “Have them lay down one at a time on the medical bed. I have added a second one to the build queue by the way. Once they are lying down, the bed will take over as you’ve experienced previously.
“Put her on the bed,” I told Viper.
He grunted and lifted Athena. She gasped as his movements disturbed her gut wound.
The calm feminine voice sounded as it took over. “Please lay still while you’re being treated.”
“What’s that?” Athena asked.
“Just do as instructed,” I said. “You’ll be fine.” I was much less confident than I sounded but she didn’t move as the needle injected her with nanobots.
“What’s it doing?” Viper asked. “Where is everyone? This place feels like a ghost ship.”
“It is, well, minus the ghosts. It’s injecting her with some, um, medicine.”
They all looked at me. I took an unconscious step back. “What are you looking at me like that for?”
“You aren’t a very good liar,” Viper said.
Moonbeam put her hand on her gun. Not good. I didn’t want a fight. Salamander was still looking around the ship, oblivious to the growing tension.
“Captain, I’d advise you to raise your hood and seal your suit.”
“I want an explanation, Ginny. If that’s even your name,” Moonbeam said, glaring daggers at me.
“It will help her heal. That’s all. Just calm down, sheesh.”
“What is it?” she growled.
“Moonbeam, just… stop.” Athena said. “Viper, I think you better take her weapon.”
“I’d like to know too,” Viper said. He waved for Moonbeam to stand down and then looked over at me.
“There you go, please help her to her quarters to make room for the next patient,” the medical bed said.
“That’s it? But you didn’t even do anything?” Moonbeam shouted.
“I’ve administered a nanobot treatment to heal her injuries. Please move her to a more comfortable location so she can recover,” the bed said.
“Nano-what?”
“Nanobots,” I said with a weary sigh. I walked over to help her up. Athena had passed out, or there was a sedative in the injection needle that I wasn’t aware of. “Now isn’t the time for explanations. Who’s next?”
“Don’t touch her!” Moonbeam snapped.
She pushed me away. I brought my hood up immediately as she blocked my path.
“Moon, stop it. She’s only sleeping.”
“You don’t know that! What if that's her plan, knock us all out and then turn us in? You weren’t there when we caught her. She gave some bullshit story about stealing. She was in their frinkin’ HQ!”
“And now we are on my spaceship, why would I care about some stupid war on some useless planet? I have no desire to get involved in your war! Athena was nice to me so I’m repaying that kindness. You can jump out the airlock for all I care.”
“A spaceship would be quite the access, Viper,” Salamander offered.
“Yes! We should take it! She’s a thief, probably stole it anyway.”
“Hey! I didn’t steal it! …I found it.”
“We aren’t stealing anything,” Viper said. “We’re all injured and that’s what we are here for. To be healed.”
“I’m not getting into that thing! And I’m not putting Rider in there either!”
“That’s not your decision to make,” Viper said.
“You’ve lost it, Viper. Come on Salamander, you’re with me, right?”
“Hell yeah, this ship could change the course of the war. Come on Viper, don’t you see it? This is our chance. Did you see that ship level the prison? This ship has to be even more powerful.”
Viper didn’t look happy but I could see him considering it.
“Don’t do this,” I said, hoping to talk him out of it.
“Do either of you know how to help Rider?” Viper asked.
“He’s tough, he’ll be fine. If he dies, well, he’d say it was worth it to win the war,” Salamander replied.
“Yeah, he would.”
I couldn’t believe what I was hearing. I’d risked my life for these people and freed some of them and here they were, talking about stealing my ship. I was hurt and angry. I still hoped for a peaceful resolution though. I’d seen enough death already. The security bots would cut them into pieces. Literally.
I could see the resignation on Viper’s face. He knew what he had to do. And to think I was attracted to him. I could tell he didn’t want to, but his whole planet was in chaos. It made sense.
“Put your weapons down, or the security bots will take them from you.”
“I’d like to see them try!” Moonbeam snapped.
Salamander snorted. “You’ll need an army of them to disarm me.”
“Bob, seal the room.” The doors closed. “No one else can command this ship. You just went from guests to enemies. Which side are you on, Viper?”
“Will you help us free our home?”
“I’ve already helped you people once and then you try to steal my ship. The answer is no.”
“What if we hired you?” he asked.
“Just force her to help us,” Moonbeam said. “She’d do whatever you say with a pistol to the head.”
“Are you still bitter about that? You tied me up and held me prisoner!”
“I should have just killed you. Rider wouldn’t have gone on that stupid mission and gotten hurt then. No offense Viper.” I decided there was no point talking to her. She was off her rocker.
“Drop your weapons now,” I said.
She cursed me and drew her pistol.
“Subdue her!” I shouted as the turrets deployed on the security bots. At the same time, Moonbeam fired. The round hit me in the stomach. I grunted and stumbled but it just made me mad.
The bots closed in. Salamander opened fire. He hit the bot and it ricocheted off its chassis and hit Rider in the side.
He fired twice more before the bot's hand closed around the weapon and bent out of shape. The bots quickly disarmed them all, crushing the weapons so they couldn’t ever be used again. Viper wisely dropped his gun.
“What now?” he asked.
I hurried over to Rider. “He’s been hit! Help me get him onto the bed!”
This time no one argued.
“SB units, take them to the brig.” I pointed at Salamander and Moonbeam. “Wait. Bob? Do I have a brig?”
“It would be better to keep them under guard in one of the crew quarters, Captain.”
“Give them the injections and then do that.”
Moonbeam was cursing me and Salamander now in equal measure. “You shot him!” “This is all your fault!”
“Give her a sedative too,” I ordered.
“Those drugs all expired.”
I swore under my breath. Athena must have just passed out then.
“Get his feet,” Viper said.
Once he was on the bed his treatment began. This time the voice described his injuries. Its main focus was his head injury. A moderate concussion.
“I’ll kill you!” Moonbeam screamed at me.
“Get them out of here!” I shouted.
The bots silently obeyed. Dragging the kicking and screaming woman away. Salamander went quietly.
“Finally,” I muttered.
Viper looked down at his brother. At least I talked him out of something stupid. If not for his brother though…
As if hearing my thoughts he said, “Is he going to be okay?
“Treatment has been administered. Estimated time of recovery, three days.”
Viper relaxed. “Thank you, Ginny.”
“Sure. I’m just glad you didn’t do something stupid.” I gave him a meaningful look.
“It was tempting, but it’s clear you know how this all works. I wouldn’t have a clue how to operate the ship. It’s better if you work with us willingly.” He smirked and I found it hard to resist a smile. “Maybe Athena can talk you into it.”
“That’s not going to happen,” I told him flatly. “She showed me kindness. That’s a rare thing in my experience, so I return the favor when I can. That’s it. After you are healed up, I’ll drop you off somewhere, then I’m out of here.”
“Are you sure you won’t change your mind?” he asked. “Surely there is something you want.”
“It’s not something you can give me,” I said.
“Not a family then,” he joked.
“That’s not funny,” I snapped.
He held up his hands in defense. “I was only kidding.”
I scowled. It didn’t help that I found him attractive. That was not happening though. I didn’t trust him. Even less so after what just happened. No sir. Maybe if he wasn’t caught up in a war, but his priorities weren’t the same as mine.
I held up the syringe. “Do you want me to stick you, or do you want to do it?”
He snickered and coughed. “I’ll do it.”
I stalked over to Athena to check on her. Thankfully he didn’t make some lewd crack about my choice of words. I could see the twinkle in his eye though. I stifled a curse. Athena was sleeping peacefully on the floor. I had one of the security bots move her to one of the sleeping quarters once the RB units had cleared it.
“You’re confined to quarters until further notice,” I told Viper.
The RB units cleaned a room for him and started on several others while I headed to the bridge. “Keep an eye on him,” I told Bob. “And Athena. Let me know if she needs anything.” She was the only one who wasn’t on my shit list.
“I’m hungry,” I said and changed course to the galley. I was halfway there before I realized all I had to eat was that awful protein powder. My pack was somewhere around what was left of the prison.