The order to dive into the slip came six hours later and Harriet watched Sparrow dive into the slip. The difference in her was incredible. She was entirely focused on the sensor information being projected onto the cockpit’s HUD and the flight deck controls that manoeuvred the Whittington through the treacherous waters of the slip. Harriet sat in silence watching the other girl, how quickly her hands moved over the controls. Harriet spent the next eight hours feeding water and energy bars into Sparrow’s mouth until the point she saw the other girl start to slow down.
“Time to call it a day Sparrow,” she warned, the first words she had uttered to the other girl since they dove. Strangely she hadn’t felt lonely all this time, she’d enjoyed the silence and watching the other girl work.
At her words, Sparrow immediately surfaced back into real space. Harriet programmed the comms unit and radioed the quarterdeck.
“Killick Ellis reporting. We have,” she glanced down at the flight deck’s telemetry panel, “re-entered real space at 21.38 hours. Subjective time spent in the slip: 7 hours 47 minutes. Distance travelled in real space: 67 lightyears. Estimated distance to Corporation Space: 119,547 lightyears.”
“Report received,” came the voice of Lieutenant Commander Desai in response.
Harriet cut the connection then turned to the exhausted Sparrow. “Right you, sleep!” She said picking up the younger girl and guiding her gently to one of the shuttle’s sleeping cubicles, gently tucking the other girl. She then went back to the flight deck before programming the autopilot to bring her back closer to the Whittington and then reversed the navigation slaving instructions, so the Whittington would now be guiding the shuttle. With that done, she collapsed into her own bunk, directly above Sparrow. She flopped with one hand hanging down over the side of the bunk. She yelped in surprise as she felt another hand grasp her own gently, squeeze it and slowly withdraw. Her whole body suddenly grew hot. Shit, she thought.
In the morning she found Sparrow, changed into her flight suit, she must have been recording her statement. Clearly she was either just starting or had just finished as she wasn’t actually speaking.
“How’s it going?” Harriet called from her bunk.
“I don’t know, I’ve done something but to be honest I don’t know how I come across, would you take a look?”
“Sure - ping it to my tablet.”
Her tablet beeped as it came across and she picked it up and lay back on her bunk to watch. She tapped play and immediately Sparrow’s face filled her screen. She had her hair down which made her look much more like her true age than Ms Liu’s cover story.
“Hello,” the video of Sparrow began, running a hand nervously through her hair, “I’m Sparrow, your pilot, or Rita MacCleod, as you might know me but Sparrow, Ms Sparrow or Warrant are all fine if you want to talk to me. Where to start. I guess I’d like to say first I’m really looking forward to meeting you all properly. I know a lot of you will be worried about interacting with me and I understand that. If avoiding me makes you feel more comfortable then please do that, I won’t be offended. However, if you do want to introduce yourself and ask questions about me please feel free to.
“I guess I’ll try and answer some of those questions,” video-Sparrow continued on whilst Sparrow in the shuttle gazed anxiously as Harriet, “where to start, I’m approximately fifteen years old and have been serving on the Whittington ever since I finished my programming at the Pilot Authority and was commissioned as your pilot. I guess in many ways I’m unusual as I’ve been born three times - my natural birth, my commissioning and finally just recently into the outside world. I hope you won’t hold that against me. I know I’ve already had an incredibly fortunate life as a pilot. I really appreciate that I was allowed to project and interact with you all so regularly.”
Harriet couldn’t understand how the other girl could talk so joyfully about being let out to see people a couple of times each year.
“I like eating,” the recording continued, “which is surprising as I never ate at all until the last couple of months. I like reading, detective stories are my favourite: I like trying to guess the plot twist. And I like star gazing, I guess when you’ve spent your whole life in a pod there’s something appealing about the vast expanse of space.
“I’m not sure if you wanted to know about that or not. You probably want to know more about what I can do as a modified human right? Well the main thing is my twitch reactions, which were already in the top five percent of the population, anything less and the Pilot Authority would have disposed of me, were enhanced and now my reaction speed is several times faster than even the Ship’s AI. However, although I can react quickly and move quickly I’m not superpowered. My strength is only the strength that my small frame can support. I can process information much more quickly than any unmodified human could; that doesn’t mean I am any more intelligent than the average person - that wasn’t something they were looking for - I can read a diagnostic report in a couple of seconds but I’m no more or less capable of analysing it as the average person.
“Well, I guess that is it really, I’m not sure if that’s everything you wanted to know but I am truly looking forward to returning to the Whittington; it’s the only home I’ve ever known just as you, the officers and crew, are the only family I’ve ever known. So I promise to get you all home safely to your families.”
“Well what do you think,” Sparrow asked nervously in her ear - somehow the other girl had snuck beside her bunk as she had been listening.
“It’s perfect.” You’re perfect, Harriet thought. She couldn’t now imagine how she’d ever thought of Sparrow as anything but the wonderful, brave, kind hearted, optimistic soul she clearly was.
“You think so?”
“Totally, get that sent to the Captain straightaway,” Harriet encouraged her.
“Thanks Harri,” Sparrow answered with her usual earnestness that was so endearing. Harriet hoped the message conveyed that to the rest of the crew.
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Ten days later, the two girls had made it back to the ship and so far life had proceeded without incident. Harriet was disappointed that Sparrow had been assigned a cabin of her own now but she was also relieved - she’d be safer there than in a dorm cubicle. Still they were both now on the way to the wardroom for Sparrow’s formal welcome dinner. Sparrow was dressed much the same way as when she first met her and looked stunning in it, unlike herself; she had been horrified to realise that formal dress for a junior rating like her was a ridiculous sailor suit.
Harriet was glad Sparrow got to carry a sword tonight; the atmosphere on board was still tense. Some crew had nervously introduced themselves to the true Sparrow but they were a minority most of the crew had begun to treat her with polite indifference and there were a few that were openly hostile.
They met Chloe on their way and started chatting. “So what do I actually need to do when we get there?”
“Pretty much the same as last time,” Chloe said with her usual cheeriness, “eat, drink, have a good time just this time you need to call everyone Sir or by their rank.”
“And that’s it is it?”
“Pretty much, it’s just a dinner, try not to worry about it and don’t worry about not having wardroom privileges. The Captain has a habit of inviting junior ratings who have done well in something to dine with her. Quite frankly you’re probably overdue for an invite with all you’ve been up to.”
“Thanks,” Harriet answered, “I appreciate it.”
“No problem,” Chloe said, flashing her a quick smile.
“Well we’re here,” Sparrow announced as they reached the Wardroom’s door.
“You’re the senior here,” Chloe grinned.
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“A-alright,” Sparrow stammered slightly as she knocked on the door. It was answered by the Steward who announced them as they walked in. The three of them walked in and saluted the officers and the Captain. They were the last to arrive. Sparrow and Chloe’s usual seats on the Warrants’ side of the table were left empty for them. Harriet spotted another free seat to the left of the Captain and beside Mr Choudary.
“Stand easy, and sit down,” the Captain told them, “Ms Ellis, I’ve saved you a seat.”
“Thank you sir,” she replied, moving round to the other side of the table trying not to laugh as she noticed Sparrow try to walk through her seat before hastily pulling it out.
“So you’re settling into naval life quite well it seems,” the Captain began pouring her some wine whilst she did so, “I must admit compared to the intrigues of young honourables I found life in the Navy somewhat relaxing. It’s what, thirty, forty years since I first stepped aboard a ship as a young midshipman and you know what, I've never really wanted to go back to that old life. I wonder if it’s the same for you.”
“She’s still part of their games though,” Amir said angrily, before addressing her directly, “you deserve better - something I never thought I’d say by the way.”
“What do you mean?”
“Just that you’ve turned out to be alright in the end,” Amir replied cautiously.
“No, not that, the games?”
“Mr Choudary, I think I better answer this” the Captain interrupted. “As you’re aware the news and communications from our friends and family are heavily censored by the Admiralty before they reach us. As Captain I get a summary of what has been redacted from the news reports. It turns out that even if your father isn’t interested in speaking to you he’s interested in using you. The news stations are full of the selfless Honourable who gave up everything to fight with the men and women who saved her life and then single handedly repelled a boarding party. Quite frankly, your father is using you as propaganda; we’re all in it together etc.”
“‘Ugh, sounds like something my family would do,” she said, putting her head in her hands.
“Don’t worry, now you’re in the service you can conspire to never see them again,” Amir quipped.
“Yep, you’re one of us now, the same goes for Sparrow, although she’s always been here,” then raising her voice “we look out for our own.”
A chorus of assent went around the table. The meal passed uneventfully as she chatted to Sparrow and Chloe whilst Mr Choudary continued to tease her, asking advice on the correct fork to use whilst steadfastly eating all his courses with the same one. For the first time since she came aboard the food approached what she was used to eating, which was nice although she found she didn’t really miss it. She was feeling relaxed and happy - how long had it been since she had felt like that. She hated to admit it but they were right, this life did suit her. In fact the only complication was the laughing girl sat opposite her who she kept finding herself gazing at.
Towards the end of the meal the Captain stood up. “Ladies and Gentleman,” she began, “I believe it would be fitting, if you will indulge me, to make a toast.” At this everyone in the room stood up, glasses in hand.
“First, I’d like to extend a warm welcome to Miss Ellis, you’re very welcome here and your place is much deserved after the exemplary service you’ve rendered in the short time you’ve been with us. It’s not many ratings that get mentioned in dispatches twice in the same year. I sincerely hope in the course of time to see you sat round this table by right rather than by invitation. So without further ado, to Miss Ellis,” she said, raising her glass to her lips as everyone else apart from Harriet, who was very embarrassed, did the same.
“Second, I must toast our pilot, Ms Sparrow, it is a pleasure to be finally able to break bread with you. We’ve all known you over the years and now is our chance to get to know you better. I for one am looking forward to your presence on the quarterdeck. Your sunny disposition should go some way to countering Mr Desai’s dourness. To Ms Sparrow.” This raised a few laughs around the table as people took another swig from their glasses.
“Finally, and with all that’s gone on I think it’s important to remember why we’re doing this. yes you’re loyal to me, to your comrades, to the Whittington but we’re doing this to allow us to continue to serve. For all its faults, the corruption, the inequality, the fact that the admiralty probably hopes we never make it back; the Corporation is our home. One of the last democratic states, a state where no one starves to death because they can’t afford food. It’s not perfect but still we protect it, it’s our duty to preserve it, to improve it, to strive to be closer to a utopia with each passing year. Ladies and Gentleman to the City and the Stars.”
“To the City and the Stars,” shouted everyone around the table; even Harriet.
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By the end of the evening, Sparrow was drunk for the second time in her life, having again drunk too much at Ms Liu’s encouragement. She was practically bouncing off the walls as Harriet gently steered her back to her cabin. She was reassured to see several marines in the corridors on their route back, no doubt Mr Choudary’s doing.
The hostility directed at Sparrow wasn’t as open as it had been for her when she had first arrived. Afterall the whole crew wasn’t united against her; that to Harriet’s mind was worse in a way. With everyone hating you you couldn’t trust anyone but for Sparrow it really wasn’t clear who she could trust and nor could she hold everyone under suspicion, not that Sparrow’s personality would ever let her do that; unlike mine, she thought. In anycase, if somehow Sparrow did adopt that attitude it would only serve to alienate the crew who were on her side or sitting on the fence. Well she could be suspicious of everyone for her sake, she thought as she scanned the corridors for malcontents.
“We should go to the observation deck,” Sparrow announced.
“You should go to bed you drunken loon,” Harriet admonished.
“Oh Harri, that’s no fun,” the other girl pouted.
“Bed,” Harriet replied firmly, “you can take me to the observation deck tomorrow, when I’m not walking round in this ridiculous get up.”
“It’s not ridiculous, you look very smart,” Sparrow admonished her.
“If you say so.”
“I do say so, and I outrank you so I order you look very smart.”
“I’m not sure that’s an order Sparrow, more like a statement. An incorrect statement.”
“Not incorrect, Harri.”
“Well whatever, we’ll agree to disagree shall we.”
“Ok but I’m right.”
“You’re drunk.”
“Doesn’t mean I’m not right.”
It was then Harriet noticed the Petty Officer walking down the corridor, a bit stiffly, but definitely heading in their direction. Her hackles went up straightaway, there was something definitely off about him. Harriet tried to catch the eye of a marine but there were none in the section of corridor they were heading through, although she didn’t doubt one was far away.
“Evening PO,” she said, hoping to warn the man off by making him know he had been clocked.
“Evening Killick, Sir,” he said as he passed them. Harriet relaxed a bit thinking the moment of danger was past.
She was wrong, the next thing she knew Sparrow was on the floor and the PO was looming towards her, a bayonet in his hand and rapidly advancing on Sparrow who was struggling to regain her feet. Without thinking she leapt at the man, letting out a great roar as she did so, tackling him around the waist and knocking him to the floor. She tried to use all her weight to keep the PO there but he was bigger and stronger than him and was soon pushing her off. In desperation she shoved her hand into the man’s face and tried to gouge one of his eyes out.
It was then an immense pain spread across her back and all her strength left her. She felt herself be flung off the PO and into a wall, which she promptly collapsed against. She forced her eyes open and frantically searched for Sparrow. The man was rushing towards her as she was scrambling backwards. She wasn’t going to get away. Harriet tried to force herself onto her feet but her strength was ebbing away into the rapidly growing pool of blood around her. It must be a bad one if the nanos hadn’t stopped the bleeding yet.
Suddenly a shot rang out and a Marine was rushing towards her and Sparrow. Glancing at Sparrow to make sure she hadn’t been shot for the briefest moment he hurried over to her, pulling something out of his webbing as he ran. He reached and pulled out a knife, she would have flinched if she could, but all he did was cut the back of her top open and then spray something into her wound. “Staunching spray,” he grunted at her, “will stop the bleeding. Try and stay awake.”
Sparrow had picked herself up by now and staggered towards her, the colour had drained from her face. When she reached her she dropped to her knees by Harriet.
“Harri, you’re hurt,” she exclaimed.
“No shit,” Harriet replied, gesturing at the pool of her own blood she was sitting in, the marine to her side was about to stab her with a needle; she hoped it was painkillers, she was in a fuck ton of pain right now.
“Why?” Sparrow suddenly cried.
“Why what?” It was getting difficult to talk and breathe; her left lung had probably collapsed.
“Why did you fight that man?”
“Because he was going to kill you.”
“But why does that matter, you shouldn’t risk your life for me,” Sparrow said sobbing.
“No can do I’m afraid,” she managed to wrangle out.
“Why not?”
It was getting really hard to think straight, the painkiller must have gone in; although she didn’t feel the needle over the generalised pain but now both her pain and her consciousness were starting to fade. She was vaguely aware of the marine shaking her and calling her name. I think I’m dying, she thought. Her vision had narrowed, blacking out at the edges. All she could focus on now was Sparrow’s tear streaked face. She wished she had the strength to reach out and wipe her tears away. She knew now what she wanted to say, and with the last of her strength answered: “because I love you, dummy,” and with that she slipped into unconsciousness.