Chapter 12: Coffee Cake

Saria took a shuttle and her laser carbine to fetch the Gober psychic agent. Cathy and I stayed aboard Ship with Jem and Laine.

“What happened?” I asked Jem.

“Saria realized the psychic could track us, even without you. She stunned us, then herself, hoping that the psychic couldn’t track us when unconscious.”

“It must have worked,” I said.

Jem and Laine sat on the sofa, drinking the water Cathy gave them.

“Ship, once Saria returns with the psychic, send the Gober vessel somewhere far from here,” I said.

“Confirmed,” replied Ship.

I turned to Jem.

“Without their psychic agent, they can’t track us. Without completing their mission, they can’t go home. It’ll be long before Gobers come after us again,” I said.

“What about this psychic agent?” asked Jem.

“I don’t know. I’ve had little luck with Gobers. Perhaps we’ll drop them off somewhere,” I said.

Jem nodded.

We talked while we waited for Saria to return.

The door opened to Yuhi’s meditation chamber, and the captain entered.

“Yuhi, you’re to follow me,” he said, in Gober.

Yuhi followed the captain along corridors until they arrived at the docking airlock.

“The Baglogi have complete control of this vessel. They agreed to let us live if we hand you over to them,” he said, blinking and looking guilty.

“You mean you offered me up, so they’d let you live,” said Yuhi.

He cringed. His mind was simple to read for one of her talents, and he knew it.

“I have no choice. They can kill us at any moment.”

“And you cannot return home without the target,” she said.

The captain shook his head. They stood there, waiting for the shuttle. Yuhi was aware it had arrived before the captain did.

Soon, a light on the airlock went green, showing she could enter.

“Time for me to leave. Goodbye Captain,” said Yuhi.

She opened the door and stepped through the airlock. Soon, she was in the shuttle. Saria was waiting for her, laser carbine at the ready.

Yuhi glanced up at Saria, nodded, and quietly took a seat.

Saria pressed buttons on the console, and the shuttle undocked and moved away.

“Attention, the shuttle has returned. The Gober vessel is leaving orbit now,” said Ship.

“Once they complete decontamination, ask Saria to escort our ‘guest’ here,” said Jem.

“Confirmed,” replied Ship.

Jem turned towards me.

“We’ll finally meet who was pursuing you,” she said.

I shrugged.

A few minutes later, the elevator door opened. A female Gober stepped out, escorted by Saria. She approached us and stopped in front of me. She kept her eyes downcast and said nothing.

Her appearance reminded me of Tians, except for the skin colour. She was even shorter than Laine, with blue-green skin and no hair.

I looked at Jem, who nodded in response.

“Do you understand Ori?” I asked.

She nodded.

“What is your name?”

“Yuhi,” she replied. It was barely audible.

“You know why you’re here?” I asked.

“The captain paid for his freedom with my life.”

“Huh?”

“He gave me up and you let them go.”

I looked over at Jem, who shrugged.

“As long as they had you, they might continue to pursue us. Without you, they aren’t a threat anymore.”

She tilted her head and blinked.

“I can’t read you. I just see fog,” she said.

“So you can’t read me?” I asked.

She looked around, then back at me. She blinked.

“No, I can’t. You’re the only one whose mind is closed to me,” she said.

Saria pointed her laser carbine at Yuhi’s head when she said this. Yuhi cringed.

“I’m no threat to her!” wailed Yuhi.

“You’d best stay out of her head then. She already sees you as a threat, and our protection is her business,” I said.

Yuhi nodded.

“Laine, please scan her ID,” I said.

Laine fetched a portable scanner and scanned her right arm.

“Ship, please set her status as guest and assign quarters for her,” I said.

“Confirmed,” replied Ship.

“Yuhi, we’ll drop you off somewhere safe. Meanwhile, you’d best not wander around without an escort,” said Jem.

Yuhi nodded.

“Saria, I assume you’re familiar with the rules for fair treatment of prisoners. Please escort Yuhi to her cabin,” said Jem.

“Yes, Commodore!” she replied crisply.

Saria escorted Yuhi away.

Once they left, I turned to Jem.

“What do you think?” I asked.

“She seems genuinely remorseful,” said Jem.

“Might she summon more Gober vessels?” asked Laine.

“It’s possible. If we drop her off soon, it will become moot,” I said.

“Captain, do we have any further business in this system?” asked Jem.

“No, Commodore,” I replied.

“Ship, recall your probes and take us to our next destination,” ordered Jem.

“Confirmed,” replied Ship.

“Cathy, Laine, please arrange a meal for this evening. Brian, have Yuhi join us,” said Jem.

We nodded, then left the main bridge.

A while later, Ship left the Herlao System. Not long after, five vessels arrived in the system. The vessels spread out and searched the system, including the derelict Gober vessels.

I relaxed in my cabin. The pressure was off, and I drifted off to sleep. Unlike other times, I slept a dreamless sleep.

I awoke to find someone was touching my head.

“Huh?”

“Brian, it’s time to get up,” said Jem in a soft, far-off voice.

Jem was leaning over me, staring at my face and caressing my brow. Her eyes reminded me of our last psychic experience, dreamy looking. I could almost feel her mind reaching out to me.

“Please stop that!”

“But...” she said, confused. She pulled her hand away.

“Three reasons: It’s time to get up. We don’t know how to control the link. We have a guest who can easily tune into our thoughts,” I said.

“Sorry, I got carried away. The sensations I felt when we connected are intoxicating.”

I rolled over and sat up on the side of my bed.

“No worries, but we must be cautious. I don’t want you to pass out and hit your head on something as you fall,” I said.

“Good point. But I want to try it again sometime soon.”

I stood and pointed to my ensuite. “I’ll be right back.”

Jem and I entered the main dining lounge, holding hands. Laine and Cathy were working in the kitchen area, and there was a delightful cooking smell in the air. Jem let go of my hand and left me to join them.

“Do you need any help?” she asked as she looked at the dishes they’d prepared.

“No, we’re about done,” replied Cathy.

I sat at our usual table while Jem talked with Cathy and Laine. It felt good to sit without issues to worry about.

A few minutes later, Saria arrived with Yuhi. Yuhi was now dressed in one of Ship’s jumpsuits, which made her appear more like a crew member.

She stopped near the table, focused on me.

“Captain Brian, Most special friend of the monarchy of Dentra,” she said. Then she blinked at me.

“Please sit with us. I don’t use that title. They gave it to me for services rendered.”

Yuhi moved the chair next to me and climbed onto it. I looked at Saria, who stood near Yuhi, as if ready to subdue the relatively smaller Gober. I raised my eyebrow and pointed to an empty chair.

She stared at me briefly, then nodded and sat down where I’d pointed.

“But titles are important to Gobers,” said Yuhi.

“Not to me. They cause trouble for me wherever I go.”

Cathy, Laine, and Jem carried dishes to the table.

“We often eat together aboard this vessel. I don’t know of Gober customs, but I hope you’ll enjoy it,” said Jem.

Yuhi stared at Jem, then shifted back to me. It seemed she looked at me for direction, so I nodded at her. She turned back to Jem.

“Thank you, Commodore,” said Yuhi.

Jem grinned at me and I shrugged.

“We checked with Ship. These dishes are compatible with your physiology,” said Laine.

Yuhi looked at Laine for a moment, blinked, then nodded. I suspected she just confirmed Laine’s statement.

Soon, everyone sat, and the meal began. They passed around plates, and I tried various dishes.

Even our guest tried a little of several dishes. I noticed she spent an excessive amount of time looking at me.

“Yuhi, why do you keep looking at Brian?” asked Jem, mirroring my curiosity.

Yuhi turned towards Jem. “His aura.”

“His aura?” asked Jem.

“Most beings have an aura around them. The captain has a unique one,” she replied.

Everyone looked at me, trying to see it.

“I’ve heard of such things on Earth,” said Cathy. “They’re supposed to reflect the owner’s personality.”

Yuhi looked at Cathy and blinked. “Yes, same.”

“I don’t see it myself,” said Jem.

Yuhi looked at Jem and blinked. Saria watched her closely, while saying nothing. I grinned inwardly.

“Commodore, your aura...” said Yuhi.

“What?” asked Jem.

“Parts of it match the captain’s aura. They extend toward him,” she replied.

Jem nodded and blushed.

Yuhi blinked.

Saria looked like she was about to draw a stun gun.

I coughed to get her attention and looked at Saria while shaking my head slightly.

When Yuhi looked at Saria, I swear her eyes grew larger.

“Lieutenant, I’m not a threat. I mean no harm,” said Yuhi.

Saria moved her hand out from under the table and placed it on top. I guessed she had a stun gun hidden underneath.

A while later, Cathy and Laine stood and returned to the kitchen. They carried out something on a plate, together with a tray of small plates.

“I prepared an Earth dish. It’s called coffee cake,” said Cathy.

“Ship helped to replicate the ingredients, based on a recipe that Cathy brought with her,” said Laine.

Cathy cut the cake into slices and put them onto the plates. Laine promptly went to the food dispenser and returned with a tray of coffees.

“It’s supposed to go well with coffee,” she said.

I grinned, as did Cathy, Laine and Jem.

“Another way to enjoy coffee?” I asked.