The Retrofit: The Callistar 1.0

Chapter Twenty

KIRA

“Your net is off.” Kira shot up in pure panic. “Oh brax.”

Slipping out of the bed, she crawled over him in order to reach the computer system, which wasn’t present. Panels covered every wall, and he saw wild eyes shooting back at him.

“Uh, yeah?”

“Your room’s blocked. If something happens, they can’t get ahold of me, and they always hit the emergency line to let me know that the inspection is over. So either it’s ongoing or something happened and it’s been too long.”

“I can gain access. Hold on.” Quinn sat up, fully dressed still, flipping on his net.

Quinn relayed someone made two pings to the emergency line about fifteen minutes ago. Then, it went silent until about five minutes ago. Something was happening, but there was no telling what from here. There were life signs in one of the cargo bays, mainly the one holding some of his settling equipment.

He opened the viewing screens for Kira and explained this as well as. “I’ll put a live view of where they’re at.”

Kira knew all the supplies that he’d stored read as containing nothing more than long-term journey food stores and medical backup equipment if scanned. If they forced them open, well, that was another can of worms, since it would have triggered the emergency defense system.

Morgan escorted several gentlemen past the boxes. One waving a scanner while the first one spoke. The conversation muted on the relay.

Kira felt extremely stressed, a bubble of anxiety under her sternum resting beneath the bone. Hela and Bree had sent the emergency pings. Both women were the secondary line of notification when there was something that needed to be sent when Morgan was busy. Quinn opened up the messages to relay them to her. The first was a simple ‘Sit tight’, the second was no longer, ‘Full inspection’, it said. The third and final one was a short, ‘Keep monitoring comms.’

“Get the sound on,” Kira demanded before realizing who she spoke to. “Please.”

The one speaking ranked as a Praetoriate, a rank she recognized by the bars on his shoulders.

He clipped his words, his enunciation crisp. “Yes, well, it all seems in order.”

“As I told you, sir,” Morgan said with as much politeness as he could muster. “Your sensors must have been malfunctioning before.”

“Yes, I suppose so.” The man had his hands clasped behind his back. When he turned fully, the camera showed his full military uniform. A rigid suit in navy blue that lacked much decoration other than the insignia of Praetoria on one side of his chest and his name embroidered upon the other. The lapel was where Kira’s eyes lingered.

Watching intently, their position left the crew compromised if an emergency arose. It made her feel nauseous to think she’d forgotten.

She paced the room while Quinn cracked a panel, adjusting something inside.

“There, now they will come through, no matter if my systems are on or off.” It clicked back into place with a bit of pressure. “Is something still wrong?”

“No,” the answer was too quick, followed up with a short. “Yes, but no.” Crossing her arms under her bosom, she struggled to find an explanation that didn’t shift blame. Usually after patrols left, she would help Morgan monitor their departure, and it was the reason she’d been up so quickly. “I didn’t even think about it,” she told him a second later, “About them not being able to reach me here. Which you’ve solved now, but had something horrible happened?” she trailed off.

“I mean, it was an oversight, but it’s resolved now. If they had needed your help, it would have been a situation where we were under attack and we would have been alerted to that. You can’t be reachable all the time, even when you aren’t keeping yourself hidden from the Praetorians. I am not sure what you mean by yes, but no.”

Her mouth formed a grim line as he tried to smooth over her emotions with pure logic. It was one downside of him not being clear about the emotions of others. Especially at his last statement. “I am upset that I missed it to start, but it will not be an issue now, is what I mean by it.”

One hand went up through her hair, the black shimmering with a purple sheen when she shook it out behind her like she did then.

“Okay?” He remained perplexed, eyebrows knitted inward.

She felt explaining the situation was inadequate considering his past. Being cut off, being of little aid, of not being able to be there for her crew because of either her own inadequacies or whatever Toke was hiding from her, it haunted her. It was also the sensation of being trapped, no matter how nice the prison or the company.

“Okay.” She said dismissively. She did not wish to discuss it. It held little merit. The problem would be over with soon enough, or so she hoped, and they would be in the clear from a rather intensive search which was only allowable because of their relationship with Praetoria. The ship being registered through their channels meant they had to submit to searches, which were hardly ever done without reason.

Quinn’s response came as a tentative touch, more reserved than he’d been moments ago when he’d been a millimeter away from her skin following instinct.

She was masking much worse than he was initially capable of, but she did not attempt to shield him from her emotions to keep him from getting to know her. She meant to protect him and by doing so was preventing him from getting to know her further. Both were aware she cared for the crew. The extent of her reaction before him signified just how much.

“I’m fine,” she lied outright, but she was a good liar. A great one to anyone who didn’t know her, good to those who did, and poor right now to Quinn who’s net was fully functioning, able to pinpoint minute micro-expressions that betrayed her.

Thankfully, he didn’t question her, or call her out. He held her, relaying warmth through layers and wrapping her up against him. It was the right decision, and it eased some of the discomfort, all of which was of her making. She knew she was being silly, but anxiety did not travel in the same realm as logic and reason. It was bound to emotions and, therefore, volatile and uncertain.

Leaning into him after a second, her body relaxed against his. Destroying a beautiful memory by making things murky felt wrong. So she kissed his shoulder where her head turned, and then turned it back to kiss the crook of his neck, her lips settling there.

He let out a long, inaudible sigh. He was quite a bit taller and just a hair wider than her. She felt comforted and safe with him.

“I like it here,” she said.

“Thank you.”

The emergency line buzzed, and the cold set back in.

It was the all clear sign.

“Can you let them know I’ll be up momentarily?”

“Yes.” A tightness around his eyes relayed his worry., “I will see you later?”

“I can message you when I’m done to see if you’re still awake?”

Without waiting for an answer, she boldly kissed him on the lips and was out the door as he said, “I will be.”

Rick met her at the entrance to the bridge. His stern regard unable to be missed. He’d been waiting for her to appear. “Watson mentioned West might be the one causing this?”

“Watson is partially correct.” Kira could handle Rick in stride normally, but that was because she’d been straightforward before. Warning him about West had slipped her mind, and Watson seemed to take care of it. Their other passenger, well, he had some idea of the danger, but not all of it. “Quinn is possibly the other part. West isn’t smart enough to put two and two together. After we undocked without permission, I’m sure that he raised the alert, putting us on their radar. A ship with advanced technology when they’re looking for what they consider missing property, it raises red flags I’m sure.”

Clear anger covered Rick’s face. His brooding took on new levels when there was genuine danger towards the crew. She didn’t want to see the look he gave. Dark eyes surrounded by rugged dark locks coupled with a jaw sharp enough to cut glass and the man would be devilishly attractive if he’d remained a mystery. But Kira knew he had enough PTSD to sink a rowboat no matter how hard he threw out water.

He was her subordinate, in a sense, so she popped back quickly. “It’s not polite to stare,” she crossed the room to where Morgan waited, inputting the coordinates to make their next jump.

Rick followed, thick boots stomping heavily. A hand gripped her upper arm, not roughly, but just enough to draw her attention back. “Kira, if I do not know what I am up against, I cannot plan for it.”

Looking at his hand, then face, then hand again, she assessed how far to push him, keeping herself in his grasp because she had royally screwed the pooch as she’d heard Alec say from time to time. “I know Rick. It was a matter of privacy. Before now, I did not believe it would be an issue. Let me assist Morgan, and then I will explain everything.”

Rick slowly unfurled his grip. The grunt he gave her more animalistic than human, but she was free.

Morgan acted ignorant of the conversation, his cheerful manner false but still present. “I’ve got the next coordinates in. I’m ready when you are.”

“Get us out of here.”

“Aye, aye, Captain.”

“So he’s that Q.” Rick sucked air between his teeth.

“One and the same.” They sat at the large table on the bridge. Kira propped her feet up on an empty chair.

Morgan had turned around at the main console to be a part of the conversation. “I knew he was awkward as hell but, damn.”

“He was an experiment,” Kira clarified, her right hand rubbing absentmindedly at her thigh. “They think he’s their property, so they’re trying to find him. His whereabouts have been unknown. I’m assuming with Toke having now the vanguard of the fleet be suspiciously advanced, it raised a flag. Paradigm is centered in Praetorian space. I don’t know what leverage they have that they’re willing to test Toke, but obviously they have something.”

“They’ve had their own resources on it as well,” Rick chipped in, surprising Kira. “When I was on leave, I ran a few ops for Toke. They were covert operations meant to recover intelligence instead of supplies. One of them involved finding out information on something they called Q.”

“Well, someone now.” Morgan half smiled when he said it, correcting Rick.

Rick lowered his chin.

“Were you able to keep anything?” Kira dropped her feet to the ground, leaning forward.

“No,” Rick informed her. “Everything was kept on an encrypted database. I uploaded it directly and had nothing on me, Toke’s orders.”

Morgan let out a laugh. “And you actually listened?”

“Some of us follow orders.”

“Don’t start.” Kira rose, pacing back and forth. “Toke would have alerted us if there was anything found that was worrisome or if they were on our tails. Quinn can make sure that either his or our ship never sees the light of another day if it is a concern.”

Watson was another concern, she thought. Then she had an idea. “Rick?”

Rick lifted his chin, his attention on her.

“I want Watson out of the system completely. With his new body, it is no longer necessary for him to be the ship’s main A.I.. He will be another crew member and be centered under you. We’ll switch completely back to Ann. He can do regular backups on an isolated system. Have Alec help you create an essential black box for him to do it. I will inform him of this when you are prepared for the move.”

“Captain?” Morgan furrowed his brows, his carefree manner lost in the motion. “Why are we- are you sure about this?”

“Yes.”

Rick’s brooding followed her for a private conversation without Morgan into the lift. It made it impossible for her to run away, which made her snort when he did it.

“Trapping me?”

“If you’d be forthcoming, I wouldn’t have to do this.”

“I am when it matters.” Kira smiled brightly at the man. He towered over her. “You could beat it out of me when we start our sessions.”

The dour look she received spoke volumes as to how he felt about that which sparked her laughter.

“One of these days, you’ll lighten up a bit more, Rick.”

“I’m light enough.”

Kira raised and released her shoulders. “I take it you want my reasons?”

“Yes.”

“The technology he’s made with is dangerous. If it falls into the wrong hands, Quinn will do anything to destroy it. Paradigm is using Praetoria in its ploy to get him back. It means we have to protect his property. And if the ship goes and Watson isn’t fully moved over too, he’ll lose everything.”

“This is what you’ll tell Watson?”

“Yes.”

“Good.”

“What, no rousing speech about separation of emotion and duty?” The lift opened, but Kira didn’t rush out of it.

“I don’t- You have valid reasons for this one beyond what I can see, but Kira?”

“Rick?”

“Be careful, please.”

“I know what I’m doing.” She took a step out of the lift and offered him a half salute, attempting to get a rise out of him.

The unimpressed look back before he hit the button for a different floor held until the lift doors closed and he was gone.

Kira plodded backwards, tapping behind her ear. “Ann, can you relay to Quinn that I’m off to take a shower, but he can let himself into my room.”

“Yes, Captain.”

She wrapped herself in a large, fluffy towel. The shower dried her after she’d switched off the water, but in her rush she’d forgotten to bring her clothes with her. Normally it wouldn’t be an issue, but with Quinn waiting, she didn’t want to overwhelm his senses, or pressure him before he was ready.

“Hey,” often enough, she’d treated him with hesitance, but in that moment, she relayed her own fears onto him with how she spoke.

He perched on the edge of her bed, avoiding either chair. Possibly because one overflowed with books, one half open on top and the other had a blanket tossed where she’d gotten up quickly. The bed, this time, was free of clutter and had the sheets pulled up and tucked properly.

“Hi.” He matched her tone perfectly, something in the way he looked at her full of unabashed affection. He had no shields up to her. She could see it so easily, how he’d relaxed his posture. “I was uh…” His eyes roved down to the towel, causing a stuttering halt. “Wondering if you wanted to, uh, cuddle like we do sometimes in the Astrium.”

“Here or there?”

“Uh, I was thinking here, but I wouldn’t say no to going up there if you’d prefer.”

“Here is fine.” There, she had to take precautions to be available and, with earlier in mind, she wanted to be available for the foreseeable future. “Let me get dressed.”

“Okay.”

Her closet held practical choices. She either slept ready to go for the next day or in an oversized shirt for comfort. Anything remotely sexy packed away, since she’d not needed it for a while. Therefore, there were very little options. Kira landed on a black shirt that hit mid-thigh and boxer-like underwear that hit at the same spot in a dark purple. She threaded her hair into a loose plait and padded barefoot into her room.

“You’re pretty.”

Kira blinked. A quick check of his eyes clarified his neural net hadn’t promoted him. His eyes were their natural pale blue.

“Oh?” He’d never complimented her before, that she could recall as an outright compliment. He’d find she wasn’t above flattery, especially unprompted flattery. She walked towards him in the dim light of a single lamp.

Settling her hands on the side of the bed, she leaned towards him.

He swallowed his Adam’s apple bobbing.

Tugging on her side of the covers lightly since he laid on top of them, she’d follow it up jokingly. “You’re on my covers, Quinn.”

“Oh, sorry.”

An awkward shuffle occurred, then she pulled them down before joining him laying on her side facing him as he faced her. He met her contemplation with his own inquisitive nature. He assessed her with an obvious curiosity, despite his inability to follow the usual prompts of the program for communication he’d developed. It seemed he decided she was worth tempting as he leaned forward to capture her lips.

Kira wished so much in that moment that she was not so distracted. Their heated session earlier could have been repeated, she could be willfully swept under, but Quinn needed a gentler touch and she needed to make herself clear before it came to that.

A few softer couplings of one before a light pressure indicated he should pull back. “It has been a long day.”

“I only wish to be here with you,” he expressed.

She smiled and turned her back to his front. Kira moved his arm around her, intertwining their fingers beneath her sternum. Feeling his warmth, his closeness, there was another thing that was impossible to miss but he hardly moved beyond his breathing but what she felt… well, they may not have enhanced him everywhere but he certainly didn’t lack there.