What is a Slave without a Master? Ch. 05

ET4H2-5C felt terror rip through her as the Peregrine's alarms mixed with her memories of the Megaship attack. Despite Alex's order to take the other seat she couldn't move, frozen in fear as the consoles flashed with activity.

"Pursuing vessel has just completed a scan of the Peregrine's contents," Verity announced, causing ET4H2-5C's breath to catch in her throat. Someone had attacked her Megaship before, presumably looking to capture slaves. Were they doing it again?

"Has my presence put you in danger?" she managed, her voice a horrified squeak.

"Ahh, I don't think so. I mean, you're a peach. But I'm pretty sure they're after something else," Alex said over her shoulder distractedly as her scan finished.

"Pursuing vessel has been identified as an Alliance Chieftain," Verity confirmed.

"Alliance ships shouldn't be used to chase Alliance people. That's bullshit...." Alex grumbled to herself

"Alliance Chieftain. Four-hundred ton, fifty-eight meter-" ET4H2-5C began, brain snapping into autopilot before she wrestled back control of it. She clasped her hands over her mouth as her cheeks burned and her heart pounded.

"Please forgive me, I'll... be silent," she squeaked, but Alex just laughed.

"Go for it, Ship Lady," she replied. "But seriously, go sit down!"

"Fifty-eight meter wingspan, sixty-eight meter long, Medium class combat ship. Commissioned by the Alliance government and produced by Lakon Spaceways, although sold publicly," the slave recited despite her terror. "Quite new model, only started production in thirty-three oh four."

Alex reached down, grabbing hold of the slave's upper arm and lifting her onto her feet.

"Thank you, but seriously! Go! Sit! Down!" she ordered urgently.

But before ET4H2-5C could even process the order a violent shudder passed through the Peregrine, and the ship began to shake beneath their feet accompanied by another alarm.

"Oh fuck off!" Alex spat as she yanked back on the stick. "Not you. Grab something solid!"

The ship pitched up violently, the sudden force sending ET4H2-5C crashing back to her knees. Her additional set of magnets activating automatically. The slave let out a scream as she wrapped her arms tightly around the closest thing to her. That thing being Alex's waist and the back of the pilot's chair.

"Oh Jesus. Hi there," Alex muttered as she threw the stick to the side, sending them into a sideways roll away from their pursuer. The stars spiraling outside the canopy.

The slave clamped her eyes shut as the world spun around her. Her stomach lurching in protest.

"This feel the same as the interdiction you had earlier?" Alex called down.

"I was asleep at the time!" the slave cried back, leaving Alex frankly impressed that anyone could sleep through something like this. But she couldn't give it too much thought, as she slammed both the stick and throttle forward. Plunging the ship into a frantic dive away from the Chieftain's clutches.

"You know ships inside and out. You know how these work?" she called out, hoping that if she kept her passenger talking that would give the woman something to focus on.

"In theory! They're.. trying to trigger a safety feature in your Frame Shift Drive. Send a signal indicating you've flown dangerously close to a gravity well. At that point the Frame Shift Drive drops you out of Supercruise as a precaution. Is that.... correct?"

"Precisely!" Alex called back.

"You probably know the technicals better than I do. I just know that if I keep out of their targeting reticle, they can't upload the signal," she growled as she sent the ship pirouetting through the stars. There was silence in the cockpit for a few moments, Alex diving and banking the ship this way and that to try to shake their pursuers.

During one sharp corner the slave caught a flash of movement out of the corner of her eye. There was a pouch attached to the side of Alex's seat, and a small stick had just been ejected from it. ET4H2-5C heard its impact on the wall behind her with a reverberating ping, and she turned to look over her shoulder just as Alex was forced to bank hard the opposite direction. The slave let out a terrified squeak as she ducked her head. She felt her hair ripple as the stick grazed past before it collided with the other wall and shattered into splinters.

"..... just getting the hang of those," Alex growled through clenched teeth.

"What do they want?" ET4H2-5C whimpered below her.

"So uh, funny story," Alex replied, still wrestling with the controls.

"We're right on the edge of Imperial space... right? You guys don't have a huge presence here, so some.... unpleasant people like using it for business. I uh, may be carrying some cargo..." her voice faltering as she threw them into a high-speed turn.

"... for one unpleasant person..... that a different unpleasant person might not want to see get delivered."

"You assured me you weren't a pirate!" the kneeling woman cried out aghast.

"It's not piracy!" shot back Alex. "It's smuggling. There's a difference!"

"Then what's your plan smuggler?" ET4H2-5C wheezed between hard breaths. Her usual formal tone cracking as she tried to get air into her lungs against the force of a particularly hard roll.

"I am not a smuggler!" Alex called back indignantly. "Just because... I occasionally dabble in smuggling... if people are willing to pay enough... that does not.... make me as a person... a smuggler!"

ET4H2-5C shook her head, eyes still screwed shut.

"I apologize Miss, but plan?"

"Fucker is on me like a bad date. I can't shake 'em in the open, and I'm too weighed down by cargo to dance properly. But there's a ringed planet not far. I'm going to drop us out of Supercruise in the rings. I can lose them in the rocks, then jump back. Even if they follow, we'll be far enough ahead it won't matter!"

"You intend to fly though a planetary ring system... while being pursued?!"

"Absolutely. You got a better idea?" Alex called back.

"Potentially?" came the shaky response. "If the Gravity Sensor can be disengaged, the interdiction won't be possible, correct?"

Alex narrowed her eyes in surprise as she thought for a moment before shaking her head.

"No good. That feature is baked in. I can't just disable it. And even if I did, they could.... tell that their signal wasn't being received. They'd just keep following us," she replied as she pulled them into a climb.

"Not disable it... disengage it!" ET4H2-5C stammered, a plan coming together in her head. "If you'd permit me, I can get to your Frame Shift Drive and disconnect the sensor, leaving it operational. Your pursuer sees their signal getting received. But once the sensor trips it can't tell the Frame Shift Drive to stop," she faltered, breathing heavily as her head swam.

"They see the sensor initiate a drop, they drop out of Supercruise to meet us. But we won't be there!"

"Are you fucking crazy?" Alex yelled as she threw them to the side as hard as she could manage. "Like I don't doubt you know exactly where to find my FSD. But you want to mess with it, while I'm using it?!"

"I only.... propose isolating the sensor. I give you my word I would do nothing to impact the operation of the drive itself," the slave managed, trying to pour as much confidence into her words as she could manage, the world still spinning around her.

"And if you fuck it up you'll either leave me stranded or sprinkle bits of us across the system," Alex growled through clenched teeth as she sent them into another dive.

"I'm sorry, Miss. Your word is law," ET4H2-5C uttered between breaths, trying to stop her brain from spinning. "I just.... wanted to find a way to help."

Alex twisted around in her seat, looking down at her passenger kneeling beside her, arms still wrapped tightly around Alex's waist. The two woman stared at each other for a quick moment as the stars spun around them. Despite the chaos, the slave wore an expression of quiet determination.

"Why do you want to help me?" Alex finally asked. ET4H2-5C blinked back.

"You saved my life today, Miss Alex. I am in your debt and a slave's duty is to serve their Master. You are the closest I currently have to one."

Alex let out a shocked cough as she reversed the direction of their roll.

"I am absolutely not your Master!" she declared before glancing back at her display. The interdiction signal was over halfway uploaded, and she realized with a sinking feeling that the ringed plant may still be too far away. She ground her teeth angrily before looking back down at her passenger, no alternative coming to mind.

"Are you sure this will work?"

"I.... if I have sufficient time I am confident I can perform this task for you," ET4H2-5C stated, giving a nod. Alex stared at her intently for a long moment, the slave managing to hold the eye contact. But eventually the Commander relented.

"I don't like it, but I'll give you all the time I can. Just... please for the love of god be careful. I can't go easy just because you're moving around back there," Alex replied worriedly. ET4H2-5C nodded again but made no move to begin.

"Thank you, and I will. Does that mean I have your permission, Miss?" she asked, still sounding determined.

"Yes, go!" Alex called out with a baffled expression.

"Thank you, Miss!" the slave said with a beaming smile before unhooking her arm from around Alex. She slid down the floor of the cockpit before catching herself with her magnets and disappearing through the door to the rest of the ship.

Alex turned back around, twisting the controls again, painfully aware every movement she made was more danger for her passenger. She blew out her cheeks as her eyes darted between the interdiction progress and her controls as she pushed her ship as hard as she dared.

"Greetings Commander," an automated voice interjected from above.

"Now's not a great time, Verity!"

"Apologies Commander, but I must inform you that ET4H2-5C's proposal to modify the Frame Shift Drive is in violation of the Pilots Federation Statute B7428."

"Don't have a lot of choice here! Do you know if it'll work?" Alex shot back, voice growing annoyed as her pulse quickened.

"Apologies Commander. I am unable to offer analysis or aid to situations that violate Pilots Federation Statutes."

"God dammit Verity," Alex hissed. "Clear COVAS memory from the last... ten minutes!"

"Of course Commander."

Alex gripped her controls and fought for what felt like hours to keep their adversary as far away as possible, even though it was probably a tiny fraction of that. But as time ticked by, she couldn't help but worry about her passenger.

"Verity, can you see where... whatever the fuck her name is. Can you see where she is?" she asked, eyes fixed on the displays.

"ET4H2-5C is currently in the cargo bay. She has retrieved a tool belt from the recovered escape pod and is working to open an access hatch leading to a maintenance crawlspace. Does she have your permission to access such areas?"

"Totally does this time," Alex replied. "She's... doing some cleaning for me."

After another turn Alex spoke again.

"Verity, can you ask her if she's okay?"

There was a pause before Verity replied.

"ET4H2-5C confirms she is well, and expresses her gratitude to you for inquiring," Verity answered simply. Alex blushed slightly before sending them into another frantic corkscrew.

"Commander," Verity piped up. "ET4H2-5C has entered the maintenance crawlspace. She is no longer on visual sensors, but audio sensors indicate she is trying to get your attention."

"What is she saying?" Alex asked, concern gripping her voice.

"ET4H2-5C apologizes for the interruption, but says she requires a brief moment of level flight in order to complete her work. She says then you will be able to fly safely even once the upload completes."

Alex clenched her jaw. Straightening the ship went against every bone in her body, but the interdiction signal upload hung at eighty-six percent. It was getting to a hundred one way or another.

"Commander, do you know what 'upload' ET4H2-5C is referring to? Is it the Interdiction progress?"

"No idea, I'm sure it's nothing," Alex replied quickly before letting out a long sigh from between her teeth.

"If this doesn't work, I am going to sell you back to the Empire so hard," she growled as she reluctantly eased the ship back into level flight.

"Would you like me to relay that message?" Verity asked

"Jesus fuck no!" Alex cried out. "Just tell her.... Just tell her good luck."

There was a long agonizing moment as Alex watched the upload tick up with alarming regularity. Ninety, ninety-two, ninety-four.

"Commander," Verity began. "I am detecting anomalous readings from our Frame Shift Drive. I recommend scheduling an inspection-"

"IT'S FINE VERITY."

Ninety-eight.

One hundred.

And with that a giant warning flashed across Alex's display: 'Gravity Well Detected. Initiating Emergency Supercruise Drop.'

Alex held her breath, waiting for the sudden deceleration. She was ready to dive and roll as soon as they hit sublight speeds, and had already redistributed her power between engines and shields. Her eyes were glued on the small red dot on her scanner indicating their pursuer, the alarms blaring in her ears. For a long moment nothing happened. But then without warning the red dot flickered, and disappeared off her screen. Dropped to sublight speeds without their prey. Alex blinked in surprise.

And with them the shaking of the ship disappeared as well. One by one the alarms silenced themselves, and even the warning in front of her disappeared. Leaving the cockpit silent and still, the only sound being the gentle whistle of Supercruise.

"Huh," Alex breathed out in disbelief.

She sat stunned for a moment before gently pointing the ship back towards her destination: the reality finally starting to set in as a giant grin broke across her face.

"Verity. Tell our friend back there that I could fucking kiss more than her neck!" Alex announced as she tore off her harness and launched herself out of her seat.

"Apologies Commander. My voice lines are not programed to account for mature content."

"That's fine, I'll tell her myself," Alex chuckled as she bounced off the inside of the canopy, rocketing herself towards the door.

"Commander. The conclusion of that interdiction does not align with expected Frame Shift Drive behavior. Are you aware of any reasons that may be?"

"Clear COVAS memory from the last twenty minutes!" Alex called out as she disappeared down the corridor.

ET4H2-5C was braced inside the tight crawlspace, her knees pressed up against one side and her back against the other. Before her was the side of the FSD, a large panel removed revealing the mess of electronics and tubing inside. She had the panel itself pressed between her legs to keep it from being thrown around, and was staring down at the dozens of multicolored wires running between the FSD and its Gravity Sensor.

A Gravity Sensor, which she had removed completely and now held securely between her teeth: the lines trailing from her lips to the machinery in front of her. The whole scene illuminated by the work light clipped over her ear. Of all the connections between the two, the slave had meticulously identified the one she needed to disconnect for her plan to work, and so as the ship shook violently around her, she stared down at the two ends of bare copper wire she held.

It was hard to gauge time when all she could do was stare at wires and listen to her own heartbeat, but after what felt like an agonizing eternity the sensor in her mouth started to buzz. Her head jerked backwards in surprise, and her eyes widened as the bare wire started to crackle. She whimpered softly as she stretched the ends as far apart as she could manage, praying they didn't arc.

She held her breath for a long moment, not able to look away from the scene before her. But after more agonizing waiting, the sensor went still. And then, the entire ship around her fell silent. The FSD before her hummed contently, and she could just make out the distant whistle of Supercruise.

ET4H2-5C closed her eyes, allowing herself a silent moment of celebration as relief washed over her. But quickly enough she got to work, splicing the two ends of wire back together, and pulling a cable binder from her belt to seal the connection permanently. She reached up to her mouth, pulling out the Gravity Sensor and flexing her tired jaw. She smiled as she wiped her own saliva off the casing with her sleeve before securing it back in place. She checked and double checked every wire as she continued meticulously piecing the machine back together.

"Hey! Ship Lady!" came the muffled voice of Alex overhead as the woman came bursting into the cargo bay.

"Greetings, Miss!" the slave called back as she bolted the cover back into place over the reassembled drive. "May I presume we're safe now?"

"Yes! The Chieftain is gone! Are you still in the crawlspace?"

"That is wonderful to hear, Miss! And yes I've just restored your Frame Shift Drive to full working order. I will be with you momentarily," ET4H2-5C answered as she pushed herself back. A moment later she gripped the access hatch from the underside, pushing her shoulder against it. The hinges resisted before they eventually began to move, and the slave made a mental note to lubricate them when she had a chance. But as she started to emerge from beneath the floor, she felt a pair of hands grab her. ET4H2-5C let out a startled squeak as she was effortlessly whisked the rest of the way before being ensnared in a tight hug. She found her chin resting on Alex's shoulder, her body freezing in surprise.

"I have never heard of someone pulling off anything like that," Alex started with a chuckle, her voice hiding an air of giddy excitement. "You were incredible, and I owe you a hell of a drink for that one. Thanks friend," she said, having still not memorized the code her passenger went by.

ET4H2-5C felt even more stunned at being called 'friend,' but her lack of an answer seemed to make Alex finally realize her passenger was stiff and unmoving.

"uhhh, sorry. You're not the hugging type are you?" she asked awkwardly as she stepped back, squinting as the slave's work light shone in her eyes. ET4H2-5C managed to regain her senses as she quickly lowered her head and darted a hand up to her ear to deactivate the light.

"No no, Miss Alex. I apologize. I was merely surpri-"

"Oh my god, you're bleeding!" Alex interrupted as she finally got a look at her passenger's face: her eyes fixed on the smear of blood stuck to the woman's temple. ET4H2-5C raised a hand to her head, wincing slightly before pulling back and noting the crimson on her fingers.

"Please do not worry, Miss," she managed, turning away and not making eye contact. "I will be perfectly alright. Please don't concern yourself."

Alex fixed her with an intense glare as she stepped forward and firmly grabbed the slave's other hand.

"You're on my ship and you're hurt. I am absolutely going to concern myself. Come with me," she instructed as she strode away, towing her conflicted passenger behind her.