Personal Log 16: 29th June - 5th July, 3301 (Part One)
09 Sep 2016Jemine Caesar
29th June - 5th July, 3301 (Part One)The first stretch of my route from Apoyota to Sol would pass through Ngaliba, LTT 7421, Swaza and Chowei. The latter system had been the furthest I had reached in my first attempt to travel to Sol, back in March. It now seemed like a good stopping-off point in my second try.
On landing at Barratt Dock in the Swaza system, I received an alarming call from Sam.
"I'm at Chowei C, Jem," he said. "I was in a bad crash. I've had surgery in a clinic at Swigert Port." Sam sounded very groggy.
"I'm coming, my love," I said, keying in the course on the navcom to Chowei C.
As I arrived in the Chowei system, a k-cast call came in from commander Aden Majes. I hadn't heard from Aden since mid-April. We chatted briefly about slavery, of all things, and agreed we were both against the practice.
"I could never be a slave-trader," I said. "I'd just be sorry for them and let them go free. I'd lose a fortune!"
On Swigert Port I found the clinic Sam had been taken to, and ran there as quickly as I could. A nurse led me to his recovery bed.
"Hi, darling," Sam said, sounding a bit brighter. I gave him a very gentle hug.
"How are you?" I asked.
"OK, all things considered," he replied. "Some cracked ribs, but they've been dealt with. There is a much bigger surprise; after Rotanev, a year ago, they had to replace one of my arms with a cybernetic one. They didn't think to tell me at the time! Can you guess which one it is?"
I looked at his arms, both of which looked entirely normal. "Um, the left one?" I hazarded.
"Clever girl," said Sam.
"Women's intuition," I assured him. "It never fails."
We chatted. Sam told me about a military action he had been part of while in the navy. He had disobeyed orders to save a little girl frightened by the noise of battle.
"Natalia, her name was," he said. "Black hair, big green eyes, she was a beautiful little girl. She'll be 13 now. Her parents died in the battle, so I arranged for her to be adopted."
I was again touched by Sam's amazing kindness.
*****
While Sam spent the next day recovering, I added a cargo rack to The Last Thing's hold in readiness for some trade and delivery runs to Volungu, 31 Aquilae, and Liaedin. The outfitter salesman suggested I have a multi-cannon fitted as well.
"Your lasers are fine for taking out shields," he said, "but a projectile weapon is more effective against hulls." So I bought an F2 rated multi-cannon for 57,000CR, raising my insurance to 28,635CR.
In the Liaedin system I was interdicted by an Imperial Navy ship. After my cargo of mineral extractors had been scanned, I was politely instructed to carry on with my business.
A newly-upgraded C3 shield generator got an early test with an interdiction in the Volungu system. The 'competent' rated pirate still managed to cause damage to all my systems, needing repairs at Jemison Refinery costing over 400CR. A drop in the ocean compared to the 71,000CR bounty I picked up for despatching my attacker. I bought a D2 hull reinforcement package at Swigert Port for 36,000CR.
Having treated my ship to several makeovers, I decided it was high time to treat myself. I booked an appointment at a beautician's salon called Suzanne's Of Swigert Port. I was expecting a lichen facial and hi-g massage, but I received far more than I had bargained for.