Personal Log 18: 29th June - 5th July, 3301 (Part Two)
10 Sep 2016Jemine Caesar
29th June - 5th July, 3301 (Part Two)Later, in the Wandrin' Star bar, I told Sam about my meeting with Suzanne Telford. Sam took my hand and promised he would deal with Caz/Leo if he ever met him.
"Thank you, Sam," I said, "but that's something I have to do, on my own. For Bekka."
Sam showed me a holo-cube. "This is Romeo flight, shortly before Rotanev." I looked at the flickering image of Sam and his three navy colleagues. "That must be your brother James," I said. "And Asher on the right. And this must be Sunset Diaz." I looked closer. "She was very beautiful," I said. "And clearly very much in love with you."
Sam took the cube back. "We were very close," he said.
July began with good progress towards Sol. On the 1st we passed through the systems of Rugai, Zugen, Togher, Wolf 751 and Wise 1800 +0134. There we took rooms at Underwood Dock after drinks at Einstein's bar.
The next day we crossed another four systems; Wolf 751, Wolf 718, LHS 3356, and 70 Ophiuchi. During the journey I friended a commander named Reshanna, and called Rudolphus to tell him what I had learned from Suzanne.
"What have you been up to?" I asked him.
"I have been to a charity gala," he replied, "given by Zemina Torval."
I was impressed. "You are moving in high circles now," I said.
"Yes," he agreed. "It was a very grand party, with naked waitresses painted gold."
I laughed. "I'm sure you enjoyed the service, Rudolphus," I teased him.
At 70 Ophiuchi, Sam and I arranged to meet at Luk Station's Lukky's Bar. Wearing a short off-the-shoulder green dress, I arrived at the bar a few minutes after our agreed time. On the way in I was stopped by a large man in a long black coat.
"Hey there, pretty lady," he said, "Looking for company here?" He became more persistent, taking hold of my arm.
"Let go of me!" I growled, as Sam suddenly appeared at my side, prompting the man to disappear into the shadows again.
"You all right?" Sam asked me.
"Yes," I replied. "I had to deal with plenty of his type back home, don't worry."
Lukky's boasted a range of nearly 1,800 different brands of whisky from around the galaxy. The last time I had tasted it I was a child. I had helped myself to half a bottle of my papa's which he thought was a secret. I was very ill afterwards.
"I'll have a Glen Of Altair," I said.
"Make that two," Sam told the barmaid.
"Don't look now, Sam," I said, "but there's a woman sidling up behind you."
The woman was rather gaudily dressed, wearing too much make-up, and spoke with a strange accent.
" 'Ello, luv," she said. "Me name's Carla. You lookin' fer a bit o' fun, then?" Sam politely refused. "Well," Carla said, "If ya change yer mind, just ask fer me."
I laughed. "Oh, Sam, I think we're in a brothel!"
Sam agreed. "I think the clue's in the name of the place," he said.
We had another whisky, which went straight to my head. "Thish ish ver' shtrong," I tried to say. Sam suggested it was time to go to our rooms, so I swayed out of the bar clutching his arm.
The man in the long black coat followed us for a short way, then disappeared after Sam gave him a threatening glare.
The next day I had an awful hangover. Sam had also disappeared. He called later, apologising profusely. "I've been called to Sol by the Navy. Jem, they've found Asher."
Sam's navy colleague had turned up in Empire space, and had for some reason joined the Imperial Navy. "They're going to court martial Asher for desertion."
I must have been feeling brave on July the 4th, because I flew solo through Bhritzameno, Altair, Ross 775, V374 Pegasi and Ross 775, equipping The Last Thing with a point defence cannon on the way. Sam called to tell me Asher's court martial had been set for July 13th.
Meeting up with me at Ross 775, Sam and I travelled together through Ross 154 to Barnard's Star.
"Oh my," I said, "I just realised we're only one jump away from Sol."
On the way to Miller Depot I was interdicted by a Cobra. I won the battle fairly easily, but I got a shock when the ID of the pilot appeared on my targeting display. His first name was Kaz.
At Miller Depot, Sam took me to a bar called The King George. "It's a Hodkin family bar," he explained, "run by my grandfather, Alf." Sam's grandfather greeted us warmly, and looked at me with a twinkle in his eye as he served our drinks.
"Ooh, Sam," I said, sipping my grapefruit juice, "he's quite a charmer. It obviously runs in the family."
The next day, July 5th, I decided to go shopping. On the rapid transit system I fell into conversation with one of the station's sanitation operatives. Her tunic badge told me her name was Cassandra Lee.
What she herself told me, however, was chillingly familiar.