Chapter 36: Leaving Ori

“Quon, hail the lead vessel,” said Jem. On the tactical display came an image of Lieutenant Commander Rhan.

“Greetings Captain. We are here to provide you a safe escort on your journey through Ori space,” said Rhan.

“That’s very nice of you, Lieutenant Commander,” said Jem.

“When I opened it to volunteers I had so many, I had to draw lots. Many wanted the honour of escorting your vessel,” he said.

“We are making preparations. I shall inform you as soon as we are ready to leave,” said Jem. Quon closed the channel.

Jem turned towards us.

“Mina, while you were shopping for supplies, Brian proposed we take a vacation and I agreed. The question is where shall we go for our vacation?” asked Jem.

“A quiet, uninhabited planet that has a nice climate and no dangerous wildlife,” I suggested.

“Perhaps with nice tropical beaches!” exclaimed Laine. I groaned quietly. After Yastri, I had all the water I needed.

“And a variety of interesting plants,” added Mina.

“Oh yes, you said you studied botany. Perhaps you can help us find edible plants. Quon can adapt a spare cabin to use for a hydroponic garden,” replied Jem. Mina looked excited. She had her first assignment.

“Ooh, we can have fresh salads!” said Laine.

“I assume we can avoid any nasty spores, insects and parasites?” I asked.

“Confirmed,” replied Quon.

“Quon, based upon the parameters we just discussed, can you find us a planet that matches in this sector?” asked Jem.

“Searching ... I have found a suitable planet in the Carolus system, roughly seven days travel from the border with Ori space. It features oceans, plants, and a warm climate. Records show it to be uninhabited,” replied Quon.

“That sounds good. Any concerns?” asked Jem. No one answered.

“Quon, take us to the border of Ori space, and then on to the Carolus system. Please inform our escort and coordinate with them,” said Jem.

“Confirmed,” said Quon.

I laughed out loud.

“What?” asked Laine.

“You told Quon to coordinate with Lieutenant Commander Rhan. The late Commander Quon was his superior officer. I was imagining his shock when he hears Quon talking to him,” I laughed.

Laine and Mina laughed too. Jem smiled and frowned at me at the same time. I meant no disrespect. Sometimes funny stuff just happens, and you have to laugh.

“Quon, please explain to the Lieutenant Commander Rhan about your name. I don’t want our allies offended,” said Jem.

“Confirmed,” said Quon.

Soon after that, we broke orbit from Ori Major.

We made it to the border and said goodbye to our escort. We did not share our destination. I didn’t question the loyalty of the crews aboard the escort vessels, but I did not want anyone to know our heading. If our enemies learned we had left, they won’t have a clue where to look for us.

Jem stood up. “It’s redundant to tell you to take a rest on your way to a vacation, but let’s get some sleep,” said Jem.

We trouped out of the main bridge and down to deck six; crew quarters.

I entered my cabin, followed by Mina. I didn’t get to decide whose company I might get, if any. They seemed to work it out between themselves, without consulting me. Her presence in my cabin told me they had discussed it, and it was part of the plan.

I had grown close to Jem and Laine, and I was both accustomed and grateful for their presence in my life. My life had changed so much since I left Tian Prime.

Our visit to Ori Major was stressful, and it had drained me of much of my energy. Thinking back, every visit there was stressful. I was glad to put it behind me.

“Which side of the bed do you prefer?” I asked. I smiled to put her at ease. She was Quon’s sister and Yarin’s widow. Two friends, murdered by Lagaid. I considered her a sister to me and I intended to treat her with respect.

“I’ll take the right,” she replied. We got undressed and into bed.

“Quon, please dim the lights,” I said. The lights dimmed.

“This will take some getting used to,” Mina said as she lay beside me.

“Oh?” I asked.

“Everything. Talking to my dead brother, leaving my home planet, sleeping in bed with you,” she said.

“When I commissioned the reconstruction of this vessel, I got to pick a name for it. Your brother’s name came to mind. I meant it to respect his memory,” I said.

“It is nice. I am sure he would have appreciated it,” she replied.

“If I snore, give me a nudge until I stop,” I said. I turned onto my side and closed my eyes. Why did I find myself so tired out recently?

A few minutes later, she reached her arm around me. It felt warm. Soon I was asleep.

I awoke lying on my back, in a strange forest again. The soft mist diffused the light as it did the last time. This time I knew what to expect.

As it was a dream, I did not bother to get up. I stretched out and relaxed in the soft grass. I could get to enjoy this.

“Koluna?” I asked.

“Yes Bri-an,” she replied.

“I missed you,” I said.

“I am always with you,” she replied.

“Did you enjoy the funeral?” I asked.

“A bit too fancy for my taste. I was glad how my parents responded. Thank you for talking with my father, Bri-an. That you handled the revenge allowed him to let it go. He is at peace with my death. That means a lot to me,” she replied. I shrugged.

I breathed in the air here. Everything in this place was relaxing.

“Oh, we’re going on a vacation as you suggested,” I said.

“Yes, hopefully it will allow you to heal,” said Koluna.

“Heal?” I asked.

“Yes. My loss created a wound in each of you. You need to recover and move on from me. You can help the others by spending time with them,” replied Koluna.

“I will,” I said.

“Don’t bother naming a vessel after me. It deserves to go to someone more fitting, and my name does not fit on a warship. Killing is not my way,” she replied.

“Since you asked, I won’t name a vessel after you,” I said.

“Mina seems nice. She looks a little older than me, but she has a good heart,” said Koluna.

“Glad you approve. She approached us,” I said.

“Perhaps I encouraged her to approach you,” said Koluna. I sensed amusement in her voice.

“You talked to her too?” I asked.

“Or my life inspired her to do something more than manage her investments,” said Koluna. I sensed a smile in her voice. Then her voice faded, and I knew she had left.

I woke up alone, sometime late the next day. After I got up, I did my morning ritual, complete with a coffee. Then I took my cup and went to the main bridge.

Mina and Laine were sitting and talking when I entered. They both looked at me with smiles on their faces.

“Mina and I were getting to know each other,” Laine shared as I sat beside them.

“Laine told me how you saved her life in a space station,” said Mina.

“Did she mention how she saved mine on Yastri three? She knows how to swim,” I replied. Laine grinned at me.

“On Quard, swimming is a basic survival skill,” said Laine.

“But not on Tian Prime, where we have more desert than ocean,” I responded.

“You need to learn to swim Brian, in case I am not there to save you next time,” said Laine.

Mina looked back and forth between us as we carried on, amusement showing on her face. When I noticed, I laughed.

“I’m sorry. We have saved each other’s lives often. It is how we operate,” I said.

“Perhaps it won’t be necessary this trip,” replied Mina.

“I hope so, because I am tired of being a target for villains,” I said. My coffee was now cold, so I visited the food dispenser and got a fresh cup.

“Laine, did you tell Mina about the tracking chip?” I asked.

“No, not yet,” replied Laine.

“Could you tell her while I fetch the device,” I said.

Laine turned towards Mina. “We each have a chip in our arm, like an ID chip. Most scanners will see it as an ID chip. It allows us to track down lost crew. When we got abducted on Ori Major, the tracking chip saved our lives.”

I returned with the device. “We use this to implant a tracking chip in your arm. The pain should be small and brief.”

Mina held out her arm to me without reservation. I pressed the device against her arm and pulled the trigger.

“All done!” I said. Mina rubbed her arm. I put away the device, then returned.

“Next, would you like to work with me to plan for our vacation?” I asked.

“Yes!” exclaimed Laine with excitement. Mina smiled and nodded at me. I took a sip of my fresh cup of coffee.

“Quon, please put a map of the planet on the tactical display. Highlight areas with warm sandy beaches and nearby vegetation,” I said. A map of Carolus four appeared on the display.

“How about there?” asked Laine. She pointed to a location.

“Looks good to me. Mina, what do you think?” I asked.

“Yes. It matches our requirements,” she replied. The location was on the coast of a land mass north of the equator.

“So we have picked a location. We need shelter and food. Quon, can you prepare a pre-fabricated residence with furnishings for us? Include a food dispenser,” I said.

“Confirmed. It will fit in the shuttle. There is some assembly required at the destination,” replied Quon.

“What else?” I asked.