Ryk Brown - Aurora CV-01

Nathan looked up at her, a grin creeping across his face at her compliment of his performance.

“But I’ll deny ever saying that,” she added as she turned to walk out of the room, nodding at Jalea who was just entering the ready room.

“Good Morning, Captain.” Now that the situation had calmed down, Jalea’s demeanor had returned to the warmer, more soulful one that he had first met. Although he definitely preferred this persona, he doubted he could ever forget the other side of her.

“Good Morning. How may I help you?”

“I’ve spoken to one of our contacts in the system,” Jalea informed him as she took a seat across the desk from him.

“What did you tell him?” Nathan asked suspiciously.

“Only that we needed to smuggle in a ship to be repaired. It is not the first time we have made such a request of this person.”

“And this person can help us?”

“He is more of a facilitator,” she explained.

“Like a middle-man?”

“Yes. He will bring the proper transponder and codes out to us. We can then use these to travel throughout this system without raising suspicion.”

“When can he get here?”

“It will take him about two days to reach us. I would request that you take no hostile actions upon his approach. It might lead to unfortunate results,” she stated carefully.

“I’ll alert Jessica to expect him.”

Jalea respectfully nodded.

“Just one question, though. What’s it going to cost us?”

“These people are also repaying debts.”

“Life debts?”

“Correct.”

“But these debts are not owed to my people, Jalea. They’re owed to yours.”

“True. But we owe you far more than we can ever repay.”

“Is that why Marak sacrificed himself? To repay us?”

“Marak did what he felt was in the best interest of both our people.”

“And how is saving this ship in the interest of your people?” Nathan had been curious about this question for a while now.

“The name of your ship,” she smiled, “do you know what it means?”

Nathan was a bit embarrassed to admit that he did not. As far as he knew, it was the name of some pretty lights seen at the northern latitudes on Earth.

“No, I’m afraid I don’t,” he admitted.

“It means, ‘New Dawn’,” she told him.

Now Nathan smiled. “That’s just a coincidence,” he assured her.

“Perhaps.” Jalea turned and headed for the door. Before she reached the exit, she paused and turned back around to face him again. “And your name, Captain. What does ‘Nathan’ mean?”

“If I remember correctly, it means ‘Gift from God.’”

“Another coincidence?” she asked.

“Perhaps,” Nathan smiled.