Course Correction, part 2
01 Jan 2021Rex-Cramer
Part 1An insistant buzz woke me up few a few hours sleep after returning. It was the ship's doctor on the comms panel.
"Sir, she's awake" was his brief comment as soon as I activated the panel.
"How is she", I asked.
"Nominal sir, still a bit sedated, but otherwise her vitals are good and she's aware of surroundings", he replied.
"Has she said anything", I inquired.
"Nothing other than a request for a drink. She's been unwilling to talk to anyone on staff so far".
"I'll be down in a few".
I went Kayley's quarters and asked her to join me. Sometimes she had a better touch then I did with the younger folks. The girl in the makeshift lifepod appeared to be quite young. As this was a cobbled together afair there was none of the normal bio information on the occupant. Not even an indication of when the pod had been activated so we had no clear idea how long she had been out there. Based on the supply use for the extended life support system that was welded on, the salvage team estimated 1.5 to 2 years. Whoever hid her there gave her supplies to last 5 times that long. There was no identification on her when she was extracted from the pod. Only the encrypted data package that had set off her beacon.
The mystery passenger was seated on the side of her bed in medical looking down at the floor when I arrived. She was a remarkably attractive young woman even in a rather unflattering basic ship jumpsuit no doubt provided by one of the crew. As Kayley and I approached her gaze lifted and she met my eyes with a rather flat, dead expression but with a spark of surprise or maybe just curiosoty.
I opened, "It's good to see you are doing well", I said to no response other than a slight nod. "Is there anything we can get you to make you feel more comfortable? I know food is not likely on your list yet but something to drink?". Only a slight shake of the head was her response.
"Alright, I'll introduce myself. I'm Commander Frank Cramer, or "Rex" as you'll sometimes hear, I am one of the owners of this ship and this is Kayley Campbell, my partner. We picked up a beacon for your life pod during a contract to obtain some data from a remote abandoned settlement about 8500LY ouside the bubble. We recoverd the pod you were in, brought it to our ship and revived you in hopes you might be able to clear up the circumstances here."
I paused to give her a chance to process and respond but her expression was hard and blank, and no response came.
"Could we start with your name? This life pod had no data encoded so we really have no idea who you are", I prompted.
After a long pause she finally responded, "Mia"
"Good to meet you Mia. Is there any more to your name"?
"Just Mia I think is fine", she said.
I surpressed some annoyance but it was clear this woman was cagey for some reason. She seemed less happy to be recovered than frightened.
"Alright, just Mia then. Can you tell me more about the circumstances that led to you being in a makeshift lifepod in the ventalation works of an abandened settlement"?
"No sir", was her only response.
"Are you telling me you have no memory leading up to this", I asked a bit harshly.
"No. I am telling you I can not tell you more about the circumstances that lead to this", she said flatly and coldly.
The next 40 minutes was a game of cat an mouse questioning where both Kayley and I tried to get anywhere with her but she was a stone wall. When we pressed harder on her background she shut down and simply stared through the questioner. Only asking when she could return to her holding room. I'd rarely seen grown men give up less information and yet she did it with grace and an air of regality that almost defied anger. She simply was not going to trust us.
I stepped aside while Kayley kept working her to speak with the salvage crew and doctor about the pod.
"It could be best described as a pirate pod", the head of the salvage crew said. "It's pieced together out of some components of a standard life pod, and cargo pods with life support extension sufficient for decades. This was something custom made but not by any legitimate manufactorer. Thing is, it was made to fit her too, so not a slaver or anything. Really good work, just makeshift all the same".
"Doc, anything you can add here", I asked.
"She is in good health. Her genetic profile suggests Imperial origins. Bone density says between 19 and 22 years old and life in full G or nearly so. She has been well fed, not faced the illnesses common to the poor. If I had to guess I'd suggest upper or upper middle class Imperial but of course I can't say with certainty".
I glanced over at one of my more reliable security team, Pedro Rich, Sgt Rich, and motioned him over. "Would you be available for a special assignment Sergeant?"
"Affirmative, Sir", was his tight response.
"Very well", I said. "I'm going to assign you as her liaison aboard ship. I would like you to be available to escort her and show her around to the various facilites. This is a *volentary* escort, meaning it is up to her to invite you but do keep watch on her no matter what. Keep me aprised of her movements. Understood Sergeant."
"Affirmative, Sir", he snapped.
After the brief consultation I approached her again putting on my best 'warm smile'.
"You seem to be concerned that you've been 'captured' or have fallen into hostile hands. I can assure you this is not the case. I can certainly understand your reluctance to disclose information to those you do not know and that is a prudent position to take. However, I'd like to lay out a few facts for you"
Her stare softened and her eyes shifted sightly to meet mine.
I continued:
"One: The ship you are on is the Imperial aligned Fleet Carrier, "Leviatan's Reach" with alegiance to Aisling Duval. You are in no danger of slavery or forced service from myself or my senior staff. You can take a look around at the walls and our jackets to confirm this. Our best information thus far suggests you are, or were at some point, an Imperial citizen. You are not just welcome, but under our protection as of now.
Two: You are not a captive here and subject to now holding cell or room. Sgt Rich here will show you to the residential deck and you can select the quarters you would like after which you are free to move about the public areas of the ship. Sgt Rich will be available to show you to any areas you may need access to or direction to find. Should you decide to speak with myself or Ms Campbell reguarding your situation, Sgt Rich can arrange this at any time. Sgt Rich is an asset for you to use for your personal safety while aboard. He is available to you when needed but will not escort you uninvited. Exceptions of course in restricted areas.
Lastly: We are a few days from the Bubble. After a stop to top up fuel, we will be meeting the people who paid out the recovery contract that led your discovery. I suspect your disposition will become important to this event. I'd like to know more about this before I try negotiate this meeting. It's my hope that you will speak to me and disclose any information you can provide prior to that meeting. I do not in any way wish to place you in further danger than you have obviously already faced."
I gave her a slight bow and Kayley and I left her with Sgt Rich to get her quaters for the next few days sorted.
"Nice gambit", Kayley leaned in and whispered. "Think it will work"?
"She's smart enough to recognize there is danger here, but I think a day or two without pressure and she may just come to us. I certainly hope so, right now completing this contract seems like a coin flip on getting her back home, or sold to slavers".