Chapter 41

Real friendship

The next day I studied my list of suspects. It was a good sized list. Considering that a hit list of one is already a job, depending on the person. I definitely have my work cut out for me, the list was still another fifteen names. Though fortunately they were just suspects. Statistically, not all of them should be possessed by the Nightmare.

I went out to my usual office, the ship. Clyde seemed busy, as usual. A quick and hearty, “Hello Dawn,” and back to silence. I knew what to do. I opened a profile of the next suspect and started looking through.

Name: Semredy Jackson

Species: Human

Height: 6’1”

Weight: 280 lbs

Occupation: Sales executive for cars, real estate, personnel

Marriage status: Not married

Net worth: 1.5 billion

The list went on and on. Nothing else very interesting. I closed the profile and went to find him on the cameras. Clyde had tabbed them with a photo and probable location for easy finding. It only took me twenty minutes to find him in his office building and by that I had found his floor number and office. Quick find.

Clyde had seemingly finished his business. “Dawn.”

“Yes, Clyde?” I replied nicely.

“Would you happen to want another ship?”

“Possibly.” I said, unsure what that entitles me to.

“It’s a small one. But I got the offer after I had giving a very good analysis and description of the problems they were having on the engines, I seemed to have solved this company’s problems for the next fifty years and brought their technology up a few notches. They’re giving me a high end machine for free.”

“Hmm, I guess it sounds nice, you have photos?”

“I do.” A few popped up on my goggles. “But you know how those are. A free ship and then they don’t tell you about the paper work fees, the insurance, taxes, future energy use, repairs, nor the committed use of their brand.”

I hadn’t considered that before. But I looked through the photos. It almost looked like a helicopter, but without any blades on top, slim and sleek. It was black, hence the name: Black Eclipse, and the descriptions had been another few long pages. One seater with baggage, or option for two seats. Near invisible cloaking, quiet, option for mountable gunnery, fast and very maneuverable.

I liked it. It seems exactly what I needed now. For some reason.

“Sure, I’ll take it.” I told Clyde cheerily. “But now that you’ve told me, what’s the catch?”

“Well, forty grand for the maximum insurance, taxes, paper work and maintenance for a year.”

“And what’s forty grand to you?” I asked hesitantly. I figured money might be a touchy subject.

“Absolutely nothing.” He stated flatly.

“Really?” I was amazed. “So you’re giving me a new ship?”

“Yeah. And I think you’ll know how to fly it too. The basic controls seem easier than the ship you learned on. That was part of the problem they needed help with, in addition to the structure of the engine, I just rebuilt it with me inside.”

I didn’t know what that meant exactly, but I was ecstatic!

But for now, back to work. I had another suspect to look after. I carefully watched him, looking at his facial details, his motions, whether or not he knew what he was doing, or suddenly came to and trying to figure out where he was. Also his habitual use of drugs to calm his nerves. All the symptoms were there.

Maybe I’ll take this one on my own.

“Clyde, how long until this new ship is here?”

“It’s arriving today.”

“And I can use it today?”

“Of course.”

So maybe I wouldn’t have to wait so long.

“It’s ready for pickup at the loading dock. Estimated travel time walking: five minutes.”

I jumped out of the ship and in less than five minutes I arrived at the new ship. Business men were standing around chatting, two men looking their best to see who’s the proud new owner.

I strode up and stood in front of them. The ship was unrecognizably the one I had just seen in the pictures.

“I’m here to pick up my new Black Eclipse.” I said in the most stately, city voice I could.

They looked down at me. Business men, a good foot or two taller than me, looking down on a young female Feline.

“And you are?” One of them asked.

“Dawn. I work with Clyde.” I suddenly got the idea Clyde might not have used that name everywhere he went. I hoped this worked.

“Do you even have any credentials?”

One of the men looked at his tablet, and nudged the man in front of me. “It says here she’s the one to pick her up. Just ask her this question.

It was their security question. “What do the Xenos call you?” He looked confused as he said it.

I was nearly confused as well, but it was an easy question and only the right answer would be coming from me. “Huntress,” I said, I knew it was the right answer, but I could only hope.

“That’s right.” He said, slightly annoyed about the whole thing.

The first man said, “Sorry I looked at you like that. I really didn’t think someone like you would have been the one to have given this ship such a remodeling.” He was obviously thinking I was the one who helped with all the new software.

“It’s a gift.” I told him, “I just heard the story earlier today. And congratulations, I’m glad you have someone like my friend to work with you.” I hope that’s as something appropriate to say as well. I’m not used these kind of relations.

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“We sure do.” He said happily enough. “And tell him we hope to be doing more business with him in the future.”

“I will.” I said. Then I realized that all this small talk was saving time for them to do check ups and make sure everything was in working order.

But then another man walked over and gave me keys. Well not really keys, but more like a small black electronic device. He showed me how to use it, roll through the options and told me to always keep it on me. That wasn’t too bad, I have a few pouches that could use some filling.

I took it from him and jumped in. The mechanic peeked in before I could close the door.

“You know how to fly?”

“Yeah. I’ve flown bigger ships.” I said grinning.

“Well, I should point out a few things anyways. Here’s the start…” he continues to point them out for me. Nothing too different. But the specialty buttons were good to know. Plus he seemed all too proud to show me everything, so I let him.

“Enjoy your new Black Eclipse!” He said profoundly as he jumped out.

I closed the hatch, started it up and flew up, doing a big circle over the docks, careful of any other ship around the loading platforms. I could see them all looking, watching, probably hoping it didn’t explode. I sped up and zig-zagged around up and down. I made myself invisible, and reappeared on the other side. They started clapping, but I was done with my demonstration and I made myself invisible again and flew away.

I toured the city quickly and found that I could be very very secret, fast and unknown. Quite a useful trait for someone like me.

Moments later I arrived back to headquarters and set my new ship down by Clyde.

I jumped out and went to see Clyde and show off my new ship.

“I love it!” I said. “It’s smooth and fast and moves like a leaf in the wind, all at my control.”

“I know, I was looking through your goggles and watching everything, altitude, speed, velocity, not to mention your heart rate and adrenaline.”

I sighed. “Yes, it’s amazing.”

“Either way I’ll have to do some work on it. Install guns, EMPs, take out the GPS, and speed limiters. It shouldn’t take more than a day, but you can fly it around until the mechanics come around.”

“Oh wow, I’d love that.” I started daydreaming but I pushed them out of the way. “There’s really speed limiter in there? I thought I was going fast enough.”

“Of course. There’s legalities they have to comply with, but it’s also legal to take them out if you’re in a legal race or competition.”

“You want me to compete?” I asked.

“No, but I know how you do things. I also know what you’re doing and that a GPS would help, as well as your concushion proof suit.”

“Now you’re sounding like a mother.”

“No, I just know the acceleration and foot pounds per second can squash you like bug on a wind shield.”

“Fine,” I said, knowing that a concussion suit would do me well, especially if I’m intentionally flying recklessly above the city. “I’ll fly her around a bit more before the changes. I still want to get some freedom. I’ve been stuck inside for so long. I love being out by myself.”

I jumped out and went back into my pilot’s seat. It really did look slim and stealthy from the outside. On the inside it might have just been big enough for a normal sized human, but for me it was quite roomy. The seat was very nice, contouring and adjusting as I sat down, it bounced gently and the seatbelt held me tight but loosened as I consciously moved about, even while flying. Even without flying very much I could still sense the luxury but didn’t take it for granted.

I rose quickly, and shot off like a rocket into the south east. The eastern city was actually very much like the rest of the city, buildings everywhere, parks sprinkled every twenty blocks or so. Maybe if I knew what to look for it would be different. But I had also been flying so fast that I couldn’t keep my attention on anything specific for very long.

I flew through the city in about twenty minutes. I didn’t have any speed limits at this altitude, at least for a ship this size. I reached the edge and found fields of sparse trees beneath me, then desert, long stretches of sand and wastelands. Nothing much to see. But I did think of the few times I had been in a desert; a small oasis, a temple, a garden with an exotic fruit tree, and Ares.

I searched hopefully to find the desert temple, knowing it was a dream. But dreams have their basis in reality. I knew that. So I kept searching, buzzing over the dessert, straight through, while my eyes scanned for any mark of an oasis.

I had spotted something. It wasn’t an oasis, but a pile of large stones. Somewhat, vaguely, resembling my temple in the forest, but crumbling and dry.

I slowed and drifted down inspecting my find. It was just a ruin. But as I looked closer a dead tree had wilted and collapsed, it’s skeleton sticking out weakly from the sand. There was no trace of water but a crumbled stone bridge, three feet wide and six feet long. The image formed in my mind as I stood there. I turned around, imagining it was dark and the temple stood proudly as a beacon in the desert wasteland. Xeres flashed in my mind, just more than imagination. He said, “Welcome,” but disappeared as I noticed the sun, the ruins and lack of life around me.

I sighed. Knowing what’s real and what’s dreams, they’re different but depend upon one another.

Feeling somewhat satisfied for having found the desert temple, I walked slowly back to the ship. I eyed the entrance, but decided not to go inside. It was somewhere between being scared of what I might find and a feeling that it might make me lose faith.

I started the ship and rose, not as fast as usual and slowly, slower than I’d normally fly, went back to the city.

I guess I felt satisfied with the ship now, at least confident enough to do what I wanted. She’s broken in now. So I went back to headquarters and set her down in the now usual spot.

I was just in time, a few mechanics had come looking curiously about, somewhat lost, having been called to a shipping container address instead of the shipping yard. I told them to stay here as I climbed into Clyde’s ship to let him know they’re here.

He gave me simple instructions, told me that the new parts are in boxes nearby and that they all know their jobs and should coordinate with each other so as not to get in each other’s way and not have to open up the ship so many times.

I relayed the message and they happily went about their business. I sat and watched for a while until I realized the other Xenos had been coming in and our daily meeting is about to start.

———

“What do you mean you’re finishing off the suspect list by yourself?” Thor growled not too rudely but enough to get his message across. I’d be unhappy too, having to sit about while the special one gets to do all the work. But that’s how things are.

“I can’t spare time and have us all sit around here for days doing nothing.” I said. “I’m wiping them all out and hoping for another opening to finding the Nightmare. He’s bound to show his ugly head some time.”

The rest showed their disapproval, complained and more or less threatened to leave. “I don’t really like this idea anymore, it’s nearly been a year and we haven’t made much headway into anything. Much less found what you’re calling the Nightmare. For all I know it’s just someone’s imagination. Maybe some disease people have, voices in their heads, blackouts. It’s not that uncommon, there’s places for people like that, sanitariums.”

I had a hard time objecting to that. There was hardly any evidence and the symptoms aren’t unheard of, though for apparently other causes.

The only thing I found myself saying was, “Fine, you have any better options?”

There was quite a lot of varied emotions, some started to speak, some sat silently and watched, but Thor had gotten up and tragically left. Then another and another. My already small group had gotten smaller. All I was left with was Roland, Farrow and Valentin.

“It’d be a bit hard to get back home from here.” Valentin said. “I’d hate living in this city for so long. So I’d rather get this over with, and head off then.”

Roland put his hand out and said, “I’ve made some friends here in the city and I don’t have a good excuse to leave yet. They keep coming with stories and saying I’m a world renown story collector. Nothing much in the names of Equines, but I do have that as a reputation. Plus, what good is it to me to go back home and say I left, that the Equine, the Feline Huntress’s most trusted companion had bailed out, not having been one to save the day in the real end. Though once was already good enough, I’ve committed myself to this task, and to this task I must finish, for all of us.”

I smiled widely, nodded firmly and took a deep breath, “Thank you Roland.” I pushed through, forcing him to sit down again and let the others say something.

Farrow came forward a step and bowed, “Always at your service Huntress.” He smiled. “Dawn,” he said, smiling even more sincerely, or at least as much as a beaked Aves could.

I looked at the rest of the company around me, my Felines, I’ve sworn to protect as the Huntress.

John nodded.

Nancy, the Maiden of Truth shrugged, “Where else would I go?”

And Bandera gave a childish wave with a smile.

I hadn’t checked with the Dryads, but what would they say, they haven’t complained, plus what’s a year or two for an animated plant that lives for hundreds of years?

I looked around at the few of us left. The few of us who might change this planet.

“Well,” I said, still not knowing what to say now, “sit tight while I handle these suspects. I don’t know what the Nightmare is going to throw at us now that all his minions go.”

They all gave their own responses and trickled off for the night, a thoughtful night of losses, and finding real friendship.