Читать книгу Scrapper - - Страница 3

«I have recorded an accidental death of Captain John Summers.» the ships AI said as soon as Serena stepped into the ship. «As per protocol One Three One Five Seven D, you are now promoted to acting captain. Welcome aboard, Captain Serena.»

The young woman froze mid-step, a realisation crashing upon her. She was free from the Ol’ Fart. She was now rid of her torment as his toy that he could torture and use as he pleased. Her collar clicked and fell to the floor, clanking against the metal.

Serena felt her body trembling and suddenly growing cold.

«What are your orders, Captain?» the AI asked.

Captain… she really was the captain of this old scrapper ship. Could she really escape her pitiful life of a slave, caught somewhere long ago? Or will she need to return the ship and find her living elsewhere?

«I am detecting three human signatures approaching, captain.» the AI’s voice made Serena snap out of her shocked state.

The woman turned and saw the three men approaching. Swallowing a lump, formed in her throat, Serena spoke out:

«Lyssa, record that I have found three men that crash landed in the vicinity not long ago. No distress signal has been sent due to their communication systems failing. We’ll take them aboard and help them to whatever destination they need.»

«Noted, captain.» AI replied. «What about the cargo? Captain Summers input a find I am not detecting in the carts.»

«I’ll get the cargo a bit later. One of the men is injured and in need of medical attention.»

«Infirmary is switched on and ready to receive the patient, captain. Should I send a gurney?»

«No need…» Cipher grunted, helped up into the ship by his friend Pher.

«Please follow the blue lights to the infirmary. Welcome aboard.» the AI lit up the lights on the floor, showing the men the way.

Hunter approached Serena, carrying Captain Summer’s body on his shoulder.

«Where should I put him?» he asked.

Serena gestured to a couple of boxes standing in the corner of the bay and felt her mind wandering away again, too deep in all the things that happened.

«Captain?» AI asked.

«What is it?» Serena still felt shaken and barely understood what being captain entailed for her.

«I am detecting a fracture in your right arm. I highly advise you to visit the infirmary as well.»

Serena watched Hunter lay down the dead body and stayed silent. When the man straightened up and turned to look at her again, she noticed his soft gaze.

«She’s right.» Hunter said, nodding towards where Pher and Cipher went. «You should at least get it scanned and have some painkillers administered.»

Serena looked down at the arm she was cradling, and realised she would still have to load up all the gold ingots the men showed her. Gritting her teeth, she headed to the infirmary – without a cast she won’t be able to get any work done.

Hunter followed her silently, allowing her to process the changes that happened in her life during, essentially, only a few hours. He walked behind, watching her closely, and noting how she kept herself clenched up, as if still afraid of something.

When they walked into the infirmary, she glanced at Cipher, being treated on the table, and said nothing, stepping to a second station, which fired up, immediately scanning her body.

«Severe malnutrition detected. Please hold.» the system sounded.

Serena knew what usually came after – a short wait and an advice to eat healthy. However, this time was different. The medicine replicator buzzed and opened the latch, giving her a small bottle of pills.

«Please take one dose before proceeding.» the computer said.

Serena took the pill bottle and felt her fingers trembling again. The Captain was always stingy. But was he also that unfair when it came to her health?

She took the pill, almost spilling the rest to the floor.

«Ulna fractured, please place your injured arm into the medical station.» the computer buzzed.

Serena placed her injured arm into the automated medical station again, and felt a syringe administering some painkillers before the computer began placing a cast on her. Hunter watched this with a very strange look on his face.

When she was done, she looked at the hard cast on her arm, but silently headed back to the bay to get some anti-gravitational carts and get the gold ingots. Hunter caught up with her, leaving his friends in the infirmary.

«Where are you going?» he asked, puzzled to the determined, and yet confused look on Serena’s face.

«I need to load the gold. If you want out of here, the gold should be sold, otherwise the ship won’t have enough fuel to fly further than the Scarapace system. I’m assuming you need the credits to go wherever it is you are heading.»

«Shouldn’t you rest? We can help you tomorrow.»

«I can’t rest. I still have to check the engines, get Summers into storage, figure out the…»

«Whoah!» Hunter jumped in front of her, stopping. «Take it easy! You just got your arm broken and you’re in no condition to load anything!»

«I’m used to it.» the cold tone Serene said this with made Hunter step back, shocked to see such indifference.

«What do you mean you’re used to it?» Hunter frowned.

Serena gritted her teeth and pushed through, ignoring his question and not wishing to continue this conversation. The man caught up with her again, catching her arm, and pulled her to the wall, not letting her go anywhere.

The woman curled up, too fearful of receiving a punch, but Hunter froze still, looking at this beautiful mistreated woman, who only knew pain and torment all through the four years she spent with her Captain.

«Don’t…» Hunter saw the woman flinch. «Don’t be afraid of me. I won’t hurt you, I promise.»

It took Serena a few long moments to look up at him, fear lingering in her grey eyes.

«What did he do to you?» Hunter asked, seeing how nervous the woman was.

«It doesn’t matter…»

«I want to help.»

«If you want to help, then help me load the gold before some other scrapper comes and takes it.» a sudden anger rose in Serena, making her clench with even more fear, as she got used to being beaten for such a tone.

Hunter sighed heavily, realising he won’t get any answers from her.

«Does this scrap bucket have any living quarters at all?» Pher’s voice sounded from down the corridor, and Hunter turned to his friend, seeing Cipher walking not far behind.

Serena noted how much better the man looked after his visit to the infirmary.

«Thank you.» Cipher stepped up, offering his hand for a handshake.

Serena flinched at this unusual gesture, but Cipher calmly froze, until she finally clasped her palm in his.

«I know the circumstances of our meeting weren’t…» Cipher paused, searching for appropriate words. «Weren’t the best, but let’s make everything better, shall we? I assure you, captain, we will do our best to help around the ship while we are your guests. If there’s anything we can help you with, just let us know.»

Hunter met his friends gaze and nodded towards the bay:

«Loading the gold would be a good start, don’t you think?»

«Right!» Cipher threw a frowning look at Pher. «Let’s get to it, before some other scrapper teams find this location, shall we?»

Pher grimaced and followed Cipher, heading to the bay. Serena and Hunter stepped behind them, silent and uneasy.

The woman was weary of the three men – however glad she was that they helped her get rid of the Ol’ Fart, they could really follow their own agenda and go back on their words to help her and split the profit from selling the golden ingots. Serena knew very well that greed could drive men mad, so she wasn’t sure she would walk away with her life, not mentioning her cut of the treasure.

Passing through the cargo bay, Serena unloaded her anti-gravitational cart from the bits she collected before, and activated a few more carts, knowing that there is too much to get from the vault to carry in one. The carts immediately headed after her, as she walked into the building.

«These are small… we’ll have to make a few trips to get everything.» Pher moaned, realising how much work they will have to do.

Serena stayed silent, knowing how wrong he was. Cipher, however grunted at his friend and shook his head:

«Work with what you’re given!» he said.

Pher fell silent and Serena thought again that Cipher could be the leader of this trio. However raggedy they seemed, they carried expensive weapons and remnants of Company soldier uniform.

«I’ll give you some inconspicuous clothes after we’re done.» the woman said, not really thinking.

Pher darted around, making her stop, and the fury in his blue eyes burned her. Hunter caught Pher’s arm before he could strike the woman.

Serena lowered her eyes, feeling even more nervous than before:

«Your clothes give out who you are. I suppose you don’t want to be found, so… you’d better change as soon as possible.» she pushed through the men, forcing them to step aside for the carts to follow her down.

Cipher and Pher exchanged heavy glances, but followed her and Hunter, who seemed to be falling even deeper in thought.

Reaching the vault, the men noticed how Serena began loading the ingots onto the carts, ignoring the injured limb, as if the pain in her broken arm wasn’t affecting her at all. Nevertheless, joining her, the men also noted how she concentrated on the task at hand, though her forehead began glittering from sweat. Every now and again Hunter, helping her, would notice a barely noticeable wince the woman showed before stopping for a short break to massage the casted arm.

He dared not to say anything, fearing that his comments could drive her angry. Cipher helped as he could, stopping for rest much more than the others. But, having loaded all the ingots onto the carts, they finally finished.

«How did you know five carts would be enough to carry all of this?» Hunter asked Serena, as she was strapping the tarp over one of the carts, so that no one would see what they were carrying, if someone were to be in the vicinity.

«Experience.» the woman stepped to the second cart, doing the same.

Other carts were already tarped, so it was time to leave the vault.

Serena glanced around inside the vault, noting the old, rotting stacks of paper on the shelves, and wondered how the people of old times used to have paper for money. Now every currency was electronic and stored in special chips, implanted inside the body. She suddenly realised that she never took part in dealings and never had any money to go around. It might as well be that she didn’t even have the chip. Serena looked at her hand, wondering if the Ol’ Fart ever thought of this.

«Is something wrong?» Cipher stepped up.

Serena flinched and shook her head, heading out without a word.

They returned to the ship without any trouble, leaving the carts in the cargo bay. Serena locked the airlock and headed towards the living quarters, understanding that the men needed to get some rest. Passing through the three rooms that were empty all the time she was on the ship – Lyssa – she gestured to the doors.

«You can have these.» the woman said. «Bathroom is down the corridor, on your right.»

She pointed out the little sign hanging from the ceiling. Stepping forward, she was stopped by Pher, who smiled at her like before:

«Why don’t you join me for a shower, girl?»

Serena gasped, feeling the urge to answer rudely, but Hunter stepped up and shoved Pher into the wall, growling into his face:

«Why don’t you stop harassing her, Pher, before I go through with my threat to break your arm?»

Pher chuckled, raising his arms, as if to say he was only joking. Serena walked around the men, deciding not to engage in this quarrel. She had too much on her mind to meddle with them.

The woman collected her thoughts, getting into her usual routine. Get to the bridge, check the systems, set their route… She almost stumbled at the last thought, stopping mid-step and realizing what her new role entailed. The route. She was never present when the Ol’ Fart sold their findings. How would his usual contacts react to her appearing on his ship? And how would she collect the pay?

She looked at her hand again, caressing the tiny scar, where people usually had their funding held on a special implant.

Shaking off this stupor, she continued her path, feeling more and more unnerved.

Arriving on the bridge, she noted the captain’s chair, which was never used, and took her usual seat on the secondary pilot’s place.

«I advise you to take your rightful seat, Captain Serena.» the AI’s voice sounded. «Piloting is more accurate from that angle. I am sure you will find it more accommodating.»

Serena swallowed another lump in her throat, feeling herself on the verge of crying. Four years she followed the rules of a sadistic man, who did everything he wanted with her and beating her for any fault he could think of. Taking his seat – the one he never used – was an offence he could easily have her hand cut off for.

She hesitated, trembling and looking at the comfortable seat in the middle.

«I can pilot you from here…» finally, the woman exhaled, forcing words out of her mouth.

«He’s dead, Serena. Take his seat. It is now yours.» the AI, though cold in her words, still sounded like a human being, and obviously had some semblance of a personality. «You have nothing to fear anymore, captain.»

«No, thank you. Lyssa.»

«I insist…» the AI turned the captain’s seat towards Serena.

«You’ve never been so persistent, Lyssa. Why the sudden change?»

«If you take your rightful place, I will oblige you with a full story if you like.»

Serena looked at the captain’s seat again and, feeling pushed into something she didn’t like again, finally stood and walked up. To her surprise she noticed that the chair looked almost untouched – as if it was used very little. The woman carefully sat down, feeling the seat being extremely comfortable.

A moment passed and a scanner beam lit up the bridge with a faint blue light. Serena winced, and suddenly felt the seat taking its place in front of an elaborate control panel – much wider and filled with more screens to show the ship’s systems.

«So glad to have you back, captain!» the AI’s voice sounded much more cheerful than before. «Restarting all systems!»

«Back?» Serena was confused, thinking to herself. «Restarting all systems?»

The screens lit up, showing reports and something suddenly whirled behind her.

«Please forgive me for what I am about to do, captain. This will hurt.» Lyssa said kindly.

Serena felt her head wrapped tightly with a metal band and before she could raise her hands to tear it off, a sharp pain hit her head, forcing a scream escape her throat. The jolt was so hard that the woman arched her back, as her mind began pulsating with something she never thought possible.

She saw herself in the reflection of a beautiful mirror, talking to herself.

«I can do this… All I need is… to forget everything I ever was…»

Flashes of locations and faces ensued, followed by an ever growing pain that finally burst with a pained groan, as her throat suddenly clenched from the torment.

And then everything went black.