Personal Log 48: Conversation
25 Sep 2016Jemine Caesar
13th September, 3301Sol (Deep Space)
I had just dropped out of witchspace into the Sol system when my comms panel beeped an incoming call alert. It was Rudolphus.
*****
"Greetings, Jem."
"Hello, Rudolphus! How lovely to hear from you."
"Jemine, are you still at Eravate?"
"No. I'm mainly based around Sol at the moment. I haven't been to Eravate for a while."
"Ah, that is too bad. I wanted to ask you a favour."
"Oh? And what might that be?"
"Well... at Ackerman Market there is a cargo canister, delivered for me."
"Go on."
"Wait a moment, Jem. I will put on the comms disturber, so that nobody can listen to us."
"This sounds rather mysterious, Rudolphus!"
"I cannot come to Eravate. My ship is a big red target for Hudson's pilots."
"What do you want me to do?"
"That you bring the canister to the system of Phra Mool in the next two days."
"What's in this canister?"
"I do not know, Jemine. It is from... a business associate. At Phra Mool you will need to dock at Darlton Orbital. There is a place, not shabby, a bar called Sundisk. You must go there."
"I see."
"Do you still have the dress when we did meet?"
"Yes, I do."
"Good. There will be a man in the Sundisk. You will wear the red dress. The man will know it is you from the picture I have shown to him. He will ask you for the canister. If you want, funds can be reserved for you to buy a cargo limpet drone. Also, it is important that you will do to this man like you know him very well. Be honest, Jem, and when you not feel for it you can say no."
"Well... I will do it for old times sake."
"I'm glad to hear it. Yes, old times sakes. It has been a long while since we have seen each other, and... you have never made use of my offers to meet me. It is almost like you don't like the Empire very much."
"I cannot lie to you, Rudolphus. I have no love for the Empire because of the part it played in the cloning of my daughter and her subsequent death."
"Hmm. Yes, I see. But does not every society have something to dislike and we wish it would not exist?"
"Yes, you are right. But a mother's love for her children is one of the strongest things in the universe. I will go to Eravate and collect your canister. You may need to give me further instructions when I'm there."
"When you meet the man at the Sundisk, he will be in contact with me. Just let me know when you go."
"I will."
"Take care, Jem. And thank you."
*****
I continued on to Gorbachev, lost in thought. A phrase from my childhood sprang to mind: "Come into my parlour, said the spider to the fly..."