Slave without a Master Ch. 09

It was only an hour or so later when Eta heard Alex returning to the ship. She was indeed sitting on one of Alex's kitchen stools as instructed with her diary open before her. As she heard the Commander call out a greeting she quickly rose to her feet, at the last second remembering Alex had instructed her not to stand at attention.

"Make sure everything loose is stored away, we're taking off eh-sap," instructed Alex as she strode past into the cockpit.

"Yes Miss!" replied Eta in surprise before darting across the hall to hastily stash her book back in the locker Alex had emptied for her. She entered the cockpit, and after a moment's hesitation sat and strapped herself into the second seat.

"May I ask what you found, Miss Alex?" she asked, slightly apprehensive. "I didn't hear any cargo being loaded."

"That's because we're not doing a cargo run," Alex replied with a wink. "I found something a bit more interesting, and a bit more time sensitive." she added, having already begun preparing the ship. Eta swallowed before nodding.

"May I.... ask what it is?"

"I was just getting to that," Alex said, her attention focused on bringing the ship to life beneath their feet. Eta felt the floor jolt, as their landing pad began to carry the Peregrine sideways and up towards the hanger.

"So that ringed planet in the system..." Alex began. "Well apparently someone's running a mining operation within the ring. And a few hours ago, the company lost contact with one of its mining ships. They're trying to organize a proper search, but as we know S&R is still tied up with... whatever. So the company said they'd be willing to pay if I went out there and started scanning right away," she added as the landing pad came to a halt.

The thrusters underneath them ignited. The Peregrine shuddering as she lifted slowly into the air. Verity announced as the landing gear retracted, and Alex turned the ship gracefully towards the mail slot. Gliding through the traffic of ships with ease.

"Is the mining vessel in danger?" asked Eta apprehensively as she felt the Peregrine straightened its path and her body lose all weight. There was a gentle shudder as the shields of the mail slot passed over them, and suddenly the tight walls, the traffic, the noise, all faded away to nothing. They were in outer space.

"They don't know," Alex replied. "It might just be a communication failure. In which case I get paid for not doing much. If it's more serious... well I'll have to see what I can do once I get there. But to begin with my job is just to go search for them and try to find out what's going on," she said as she dropped the Peregrine's nose out of the flood of ships lining up for the mail slot and pointed her out into the black. She opened the throttle and Eta felt herself being pressed back into her seat from the acceleration. Her harness kept her in place as Alex had them on a long slow turn, both putting distance between themselves and the station, and bringing them to their new heading.

"Frame Shift Drive charging," announced Verity, and Eta felt a growing tremble within the ship. A deep sound, not unlike wind started to swell around her. It was a sound she had heard many times before, but from the cockpit of the little ship it all felt so much closer.

"Four," Verity counted down.

"Three"

"Two"

"One"

"Engage"

With every step of the countdown the noise grew in power, until all at once the sound seemed to break and the Peregrine leapt forwards, pushing Eta firmly back into her seat as space whipping by all around her. But eventually they stopped accelerating, and she felt herself become weightless again as the ship settled gently into Supercruise.

"Is this... a common activity for you, Miss?" Eta asked, glancing over. "Yesterday you rescued me. Today you're intending to rescue mining staff in distress."

"Luckily not," replied Alex. "I always watch out for people in trouble, but it doesn't come up too often, which is probably a good thing. Two in two days is weird. But I'm intrigued, and they're paying. So win win."

"I am sure they will be very grateful to have you come to their aid just as I am," Eta replied, smiling as she marveled at Alex's willingness to jump off towards people in need.

"Well first we need to find out if they actually need aid at all," Alex reminded her. Eta nodded, thinking for a while as space hurtled past them.

"Pardon me, I'm sure you've already considered this. But on the scale of an entire planetary ring system, how do you intend to locate a single ship?" she asked after a moment.

"That is an excellent question," Alex observed. "The guy I talked to wasn't at the station. We talked over comms. He said the operation was run out of a Megaship that's hanging out at the edge of the rings, and that's where he's based. I have the location of that, and he said he'd give me the most up to date info once I get there, including a last known location," she added. Eta watched the Commander for a moment, before reaching down and released her harness. She floated up out of her seat and maneuvered herself around kneel quietly next to Alex's pilot's seat as she gazed out the canopy with a contented smile on display. Alex glanced down at her with an eyebrow raised, a quick flash of colour passing across her cheeks.

"You really like being down there huh?" Alex observed. Eta simply nodded. The Commander pursed her lips for a long moment before she took a slow breath.

"Like it's very kinky, but look Eta.... I am really not your Master. You don't owe me anything," Alex replied, yet again ignoring the twinges in her lower body.

"Even if you are not my Master, you are still a woman in a position of authority and admiration relative to me," Eta said matter of factly.

"Wait, admiration?" Alex asked, one of her eyebrows shooting up.

"Yes," Eta confirmed, showing no embarrassment at the statement. "I am presently witnessing you travel between planets and put yourself in potential danger, just because you feel someone is in need of your assistance. You are a marvelous woman, and I am honoured to be in your company," she said happily.

It was Alex's turn to blush red and be at a loss for words. She stared down at her passenger who just smiled back up at her.

"Uhhhh, thank you?" was all she was able to say at first.

"But umm... let's not forget that I'm being paid for this. And also, we don't even know if anyone's in trouble out there," she added, trying to deflect.

"But you departed the station in such short order because you thought there might be," Eta pointed out. Alex just glared at her.

"If you're so enamored by my boundless compassion, why is your reflex still to get weird when some of it heads your direction?"

"I'm sorry Miss Alex. But I am a slave. I am beneath such generous treatment," Eta answered apologetically.

"But you chose to keep being..... ah nevermind," Alex said with a tired sigh.

"I did choose it..." the kneeling woman began slowly. "... and yes... slavery did come with certain... compromises. However taken as a whole, being obedient and submissive suits me," Eta added, as if it was the most normal thing is the galaxy to say. Alex let out a series of startled coughs as her eyes flashed. She quickly composed herself as her passenger looked up at her, wearing an expression of surprise and concern.

"Miss Alex? I apologize, are you alright?" asked the wide-eyed slave.

"Jesus Christ. Yeah I'm... fine," the Commander replied, internally kicking her libido back down as she took a deep breath. "You just.... sound so formal most of the time but then you occasionally say stuff like that. And I was noooot ready for it," she added as she focused her attention back to the space before them and her passenger stared at the floor self-consciously.

At Supercruise speeds, it wasn't long before the distant prick of light that was their target was growing faster and faster before them. Alex sent them skimming over the ring as she watched her instruments. And a moment later she pulled the release. Eta, now safely back in the second seat, felt the familiar tug of deceleration and abruptly the ring of floating rocks, dust, and ice crystals hung still and stretching out to one side all the way towards the enormous mottled blue and purple gas giant in the distance. But directly in front of them sat another Megaship, its surface covered in extra mining equipment and facilities hastily welded on. Docked to it were a number of ships many times larger than the Peregrine, their hulls gouged and pockmarked from working between the rocks. Eta recognized the angular, utilitarian silhouette of Lakon transports. Alex pushed their nose down and sent them into a gentle turn, circling around the Megaship as she hit a few buttons on her comms panel. A gruff man's voice came over her speakers a moment later.

"Oi! This ain't the place for sightseers friend. We've got industrial craft moving around," he said, his voice sounding tired and frazzled.

"But apparently one less than there should be," Alex replied. "Good to talk to you again Tom. It's Alex Turner. We spoke earlier."

Her voice walking the line between serious and banter.

"Oh it's you!" Tom exclaimed in surprise. "Ah Jesus, I wasn't expecting you for another half hour at least, but I appreciate you getting a rush on."

"I had nothing else pressing this morning, and you said your people could be in trouble. I saw no reason to stop for caffeine on the way," Alex joked with a shrug.

"Well maybe you should have... I could fucking do with some," Tom lamented. Alex laughed before getting onto business.

"When we spoke before you were still confirming details. You manage to lock down that last known location?"

"I did, but I'd bet it's not super accurate. A sheet of moving rocks a kilometer thick and a quarter million kilometers wide doesn't play nice with long range sensors," he replied with a tired sigh.

"It's a start, send 'em over. But why do you fancy my chances of having better luck scanning for them?"

"Because you're not going to be scanning from here," Tom shot back simply.

"Point taken," Alex chuckled. "Learn any more about what might have happened?"

"Nothing. The useless Captain doesn't send updates very often, so all I know is earlier today they reported finding a few promising asteroids, and then half an hour later all signals from them stopped," Tom replied. Despite his insult towards the Captain his tone was worried.

"How many crew on board?" Alex asked.

"Six"

Alex wore her own worried expression as her eyes traveled over the docked mining ships.

"Just so I'm understanding the full situation: I assume there's a reason the ships you've got here aren't out looking?" she asked.

"Well two of these junk heaps are in the middle of some modifications, and the rest are here for repairs, so none of them are going anywhere. All my functioning ships are already out on their own routes. I've spent the last three hours trying to get S&R from Tantalaigh to get off their asses but they're not responding. So that's why I'm desperate and willing to pay a freelancer to go out. The longer I go without hearing anything the worse the odds look. I've got a lot of money tied up with that T7 and the ore she's carrying," he grumbled.

"And you know... crew," Alex replied pointedly.

"Oh don't you get on my case about it. This operation runs of a shoestring at the best of times," he said defensively. Alex rolled her eyes.

"I suppose covering all my bases: have you had any trouble with pirates lately?"

"Nothing," Tom replied simply.

"Well that's good at least. Okay, I'll see what I can find. What's her name by the way? The ship," she asked curiously.

"Oh what the hell was she called... Tula's Wing. That's it."

Alex chucked. "Who's Tula?"

"How the fuck should I know? I didn't name her. No get going!" Tom exclaimed in annoyance. Alex let out a gentle laugh.

"Copy that. Later Tom," Alex replied with a smile as she closed the comms and swung the Peregrine out over the ring. She opened the throttle and sent the Megaship disappearing into the distance behind them.

Eta felt herself pushed back in her seat as they accelerated. The ship rotated slowly around her as Alex placed the ring over their heads where they could see it. She let out a long breath, watching the surface of the ring fly by in a blur a few kilometers above them.

"Well... even if he did not sound appreciative, I still think what you're doing is admirable," Eta said, watching the ring in fascination. Alex chuckled softly.

"Thanks Eta."

"What do... you suspect happened," the slave asked slowly.

"I don't know. I suppose we'll find out soon enough. But in the meantime what can you tell me about T7s? I don't know how useful the info will be. I mostly just think it's cute you know so much," she said, shooting Eta a wink out of the corner of her eye. Eta blushed deeply before casting her mind back to her knowledge of Lakon ships.

"The Type-7 Transporter is a large ship manufactured by Lakon Spaceways. Fairly new: started production in thirty two ninety. Approximately eighty-two meters long, fifty-six wide, and... twenty five or twenty six high. I apologize, I don't remember the exact number. Its hull mass is only three hundred and fifty tons, but it can carry almost that much again in cargo and equipment," she recited.

"It is from the same manufacturer who made yesterday's Cheiftain, but the Type-7 was strictly designed as a freighter. Although it also sees extensive use as a mining vessel, as we heard, due to its carrying capacity and robust frame."

"How's she as a dance partner?" Alex asked with a chuckle. Eta looked over in confusion.

"I apologize, I don't.... know what you mean."

"Ah... sorry. I mean... how well does it do in a fight? I call combat and the like dancing, because... you know... you're moving around each other... nevermind."

"Ah I understand. But... again the Type-7 is a freighter. Poor maneuverability. Less armaments than the Peregrine despite being many times her size. The only advantage towards combat would be its durability. So... not a very good... dancer," Eta finished, trying to use Alex's slang.

"Do you ask about combat because you suspect.... they were attacked? Despite what Mr Tom said," she asked nervously.

"No no," Alex quickly reassured her. "I only asked about combat because I thought it was funny and was curious what you'd say. Type-7s look like flying brick the size of a building. No one's taking her out to dance," she added with a chuckle.

The pair skimmed along the surface of the ring for several more minutes. Alex watching her position as she kept them pointed at their target. Eventually Eta spoke up with a question.

"May I... ask you something Miss?" she asked nervously.

"Of course."

"Thank you, Miss.... Do you... dance?" Eta added with an embarrassed tone, still looking out past the canopy. Alex glanced over with an amused expression on her face, pleased to see her passenger was growing more comfortable asking things.

"Like engage in ship combat? Or like actual dancing with music and other people and stuff?" Alex asked with a sly smile.

"I admit I'm curious about both, if I may," Eta answered nervously. Alex laughed.

"As for ship combat, yeah I've done it a few times. I don't go out looking for a fight, but if a fight comes looking for me... can't always say no," she said with a shrug.

"I'm very glad that yesterday I could. I... appreciate that," she added, shooting a smile over to Eta.

"Why didn't you want to.... dance yesterday?" Eta asked as she blushed, not wanting to dwell on the gratitude.

"Let's be clear, I never -want- to dance. It's a hell of a risk and I only do it if I have to. And yesterday I had a cargo bay..... slightly past its maximum safe weight limit. Trust me, don't go dancing with an extra fifty tons of weight strapped to your back. I like some junk in the trunk, but that will get you killed," she chuckled. Eta nodded back, cheeks flushing deeper.

"And as for... like dancing with music. Yeah sometimes," Alex continued. "Sometimes when I'm stopped at a station for the night it can be fun to find a bar or a club to dance and drink an evening away," she said with a shrug, a faint redness in her cheeks.

"Do you... have someone you dance with?" Eta asked unsurely as her eyes stayed fixed on the rocks above them.

"Like a partner?" Alex asked with a laugh. "No, nothing like that for me. I spend my life traveling where my whims and work take me. I never stay in one place long enough."

"Ah I'm.... sorry. I didn't know if maybe you... had a partner who came with you," Eta stammered, before realizing she had almost certainly overstepped. Alex turned in her chair, taking in her passenger for a long moment with a pondering expression. Unsure how much she should read into the woman's question, or if it was just a result of Eta not being used to casual conversation.

"No, no one comes along," she finally answered, choosing her words carefully. "I love picking where I go and what I do. It's a good life for me, but I want to be able to just pick a job and go. I don't want to.... have to run every little decision by another person. And it wouldn't be fair to ask someone to just... be stuck coming along for the ride," she finished: the parallels not lost on her.

Eta nodded awkwardly without making eye contact, and the two fell into a gentle silence as the rocks sped by overhead for a while longer. Alex tried to push her suspicions about her passenger out of her head, focusing on the task at hand. She wasn't sure how inaccurate she should assume Tom's coordinates were, so even as it was still a few dozen kilometers away she transferred more power into her scanners and extended out the range as far as she could. And for the next two hours they crisscrossed beneath the rocks, looking for any signs of the Tula's Wing. But as they had been told, the sea of shifting asteroids was making it difficult to scan for anything.

"Is it possible they're outside the area we've searched?" asked Eta after yet another pass.

"Possible, but my gut says stay. If they got that far, they're in good enough shape it's not urgent. If they're in trouble, they're still here," Alex pondered aloud as she glared at her scanner. She slowly brought the ship around and pointed back towards the centre of their search area. Alex let out a long breath from the corner of her mouth before turning to her passenger.

"How much do you trust my piloting skills?" she asked. Eta was taken aback by the question.

"During the interdiction I witnessed you go toe to toe with a dedicated combat ship four times your size and escape to tell about it. So yes, I think you're incredibly skilled. Why do you ask?" she answered in confusion.

"Well again, I had some help with that," Alex said with a chuckle before pointing up at the rocks over their heads.

"The ring is a kilometer thick. It's fucking up my scans. But if I fly down the middle of it, my scanners wouldn't need to get through the whole thing in one go. Like if I was on my own I already would have gone in. but it feels rude to scare the shit out of you without warning."

Eta swallowed nervously; her eyes wide as she looked up at the rocks. There was plenty of space between them, but everything was in constant motion. Even as she watched she saw two large asteroids collide with one another, sending fragments of rock spinning off in all directions. But she pulled a deep breath into her lungs and nodded towards Alex.

"I trust you with my safety. But thank you for the warning, Miss Alex," she said simply, trying to keep her nerves under control.

“Thanks Eta,” Alex replied gently. “When this is over I’ll get you dinner again,” she added with a wink as she pulled the stick back and sent the Peregrine between the rocks. Flying here cut their safe speed down considerably, but as Alex rolled and weaved between the asteroids she was encouraged to see her scanner managing to keep up. Eta gripped the arms of her seat tightly as her body was pushed this way and that, the harness digging into her shoulders. The occasional blue flash as tiny flecks of rock bounced harmlessly off the Peregrine’s shields didn’t help her anxiety. But even despite her discomfort, the interdiction had been far worse, and she knew this situation was much more within Alex’s control. And fortunately, only thirty minutes later the mood began to shift.

"Hey Verity," Alex called out.

"Greetings Commander."

"I see something on the scanner off the starboard side, a ways out. What can you tell me?"

"Scans of the indicated object are not consistent with a geological body. Relative to other nearby objects it appears much more metallic in nature and gives off a stronger residual thermal signature."

"That sounds encouraging, Miss," Eta added hopefully.

"It's certainly worth checking out," Alex said with shrug as she pulled them into a turn, ducking under an asteroid as she did.