Zero Days (Comm Series #9)
17 Apr 2018Viridian
When they arrived at Wafer Station, the slaves remained on the ship and Viridian went to see Hyde first. She was working in her office, her glasses tucked high on her nose as she read her flat panel and didn't raise her eyes when her door slid open.Viridian walked forward and placed the Desert Eagle in front of her. Hyde lifted her eyes to Viridian, her nose still visibly broken, but the blood cleaned away. At first, Hyde said nothing. She took the pistol in her hand and released the clip. She looked at the clip through its side. "One bullet?"
"Only needed one."
Hyde nodded. "Acroci's been waiting for you. Go see him in his office."
Viridian paused a moment. "Was there any--"
"If I had something for you, I would've given it to you when you barged in," Hyde said. She allowed her smile to show, but just barely. "I'm glad to see I was right that you can handle yourself. Get your nose fixed after you see Acroci."
---
Acroci was reading when the door slid open in front of Viridian. He turned his attention to her immediately, his enhanced blue eyes showing a wisp of worry that faded. "Vi," he said.
Viridian stood there at the edge of his office, her arms folded behind her back. Acroci nodded once. "Report," he said.
"Goodman Relay is a slave trading front. It is located in Empire space, which makes the trade legal."
"But?" Acroci asked.
"But the slaves were inappropriately acquired. The service slaves were all active Federation pilots in service of Section 31."
Acroci nodded. "What actions did you decide to take?"
Viridian paused. The guard's station came to mind first, before she remembered bits of slaver brain may still be scattered all over Isaac's room. "I infiltrated the operation, released the service slaves, and when the slaver, Isaac Bryant, would not free the remaining slave, I took it upon myself to relieve the galaxy of his existence. He stole free citizens and enslaved them."
"So you killed him," Acroci confirmed.
"I blew his head in half," Viridian said.
Acroci paused, looking at her with a face wanting of expression. "And the slaves?"
"They're in the cargo bay of the Larkspur."
"I see," Acroci said.
"They need a place to stay while I make arrangements for them to either return to Section 31 or other desired locations," Viridian said.
Acroci smiled. "I'll see that they are made. "
Viridian nodded. "Thank you, sir." She paused a moment, looking at Acroci and trying to determine if he was happy with the results. "Sir, may I be dismissed? Admiral Hyde wanted me to see the medic."
"Yes, your face has looked better," Acroci said, though the tone was facetious. "Tend to the cargo while I work with the station manager. Oh, and Vi?"
"Yeah?"
"Excellent work."
---
Weeks went by. Acroci had done as he promised. The ten slaves that were freed had been double-bunked in small quarters that most civilizations would have turned their noses at, but full bellies, warm rooms, and clean clothes made their experience a luxury. Raven stayed in Viridian's quarters.
As time passed, between Acroci's efforts and Hyde's contacts, the slaves-turned-civilizations were put on various passenger ships and carted off to destinations of their desires. Some went back to the Federation with all the information about Goodman Relay. Two of them decided to venture outside of the bubble. Edge went to work for Independents of 40 Ceti and Viridian gently warned him about the strained relations between them and Rogue Commanders.
"It'll make things interesting, don't you think?" he had asked before he kissed her cheek in his goodbye.
Raven continued to stay with her. Viridian often opted for sleeping on floors or behind her cockpit so Raven could rest. Viridian went back to work for tac wing, taking on various assignments and coming home nearly bored in comparison to what had happened at Goodman.
One day, she walked in to see Raven dressed and a duffle bag on the bed. Viridian froze at the door.
"Raven?" she asked.
"Hey, Vi," Raven said, her smile to her half-kind, half-apologetic.
Viridian looked at the bag and then back at her. "You're--"
"I'm not staying," Raven said and she sat down on the bed. "Sit with me."
Something about Raven always made Viridian child-like again. She had always understood things better than she had; she had always been stronger, more resilient. Anyone else would have died, or at least killed themselves, in her circumstances. The fact that she was still the same Raven still fascinated her.
"You know I'm not one to stay put," Raven said, and she laughed, "Probably how I got into this mess in the first place."
Viridian smiled. "What are you going to do?"
"Think I'll head in a more... quiet direction. Find myself a small corporation of miners."
"Miners?"
"Shooting rocks is better than shooting people," Raven said.
Viridian laughed. "You were always such a pacifist."
"Vi," Raven said, "That's the point, though. You've taken such good care of me and I don't want you to think I don't appreciate that. But I can't continue to stay in your room."
"I know," she said.
"But you belong here."
Viridian looked at her, her blue-green eyes falling into hers. Raven smiled. "You're a freedom fighter. You walked into a base alone, saved eleven people, killed only the person you intended, and then got everyone home. This is what you're meant to do and I think this navy you've found is exactly what you need."
Viridian nodded. "I mean. It's not perfect."
"It never will be," Raven said. "You saved my life and you need to do that for others. You're the only one who knows what it's like to be them and to not be them."
"What about you?" Viridian asked. "I missed you every day I couldn't find you. I was terrified. Do you know that?"
"I do," Raven said. "And I got a new number. I'll make sure to leave my landing coordinates with you once I get them."
Viridian smiled. "I think that'll work."
Raven slung her arms around her neck and Viridian leaned down, resting her forehead against her shoulder. She lost track as to how long they held each other.
---
Viridian had joined the gathering of tac wing, along with Admirals Hyde and Acroci. She found a seat near the edge of the room in her attempt to go unnoticed. Hyde made a briefing on security patrols, gave out a few assignments to the greener pilots, and dismissed everyone without giving Viridian an assignment.
She arched a brow when Hyde went to look at a tech folder. "Admiral?"
"Yes, Viridian?"
"Am I off duty today?"
Hyde looked over her glasses. "Why would you be?"
"You didn't give me an assignment," Viridian said.
She pulled off her glasses and then looked at Acroci. Acroci nodded and then Hyde returned the cold glance to Viridian. "It was my understanding you would be handling the slave issue over in Tirawishans. Did you not read the briefing?"
Viridian paused. "No, I-- what do you mean, handling?"
"I thought we were clear that this would be your specialty, Viridian," Acroci said. "I expect to see the same fine work that you did at Goodman."
Viridian smiled slowly. "Yes, Admiral."
This concludes the Comm Series. Thank you to everyone who read these posts and shared feedback with me. It was a truly humbling experience for me to have a few dedicated readers who were so supportive of my work. Special thanks to Acroci, for the many hours of brainstorming, inspiration, and introducing me to Elite: Dangerous; as well as ArmedHyde, for being so supportive of my efforts and my "personal narrative."