Chapter 11 - Joyce

''I got a bad feeling that something's gonna go down...'' Lucas said nervously.
''It's a job centre. You're just picking up loads of tense vibes from everyone.''
I was scrolling down the list of names for hire on the console in the far corner of the Job Centre. So far, no one wanted to be hired onto an ex-warship turned racer-carrier. We needed a full time pilot, engineer and navigator. Lucas flinched and jostled me. I lost the place where I was up to on the name list.
''What the hell-?''
A gun shot. Then another. Screams filled the street outside and people went running.
''I told ya summut bad was gonna happen!'' Lucas shouted over the commotion.
People were running in here, seeking shelter from the bullets. Someone had just made it into the doorway when blood sprayed from his chest and he slumped to the floor. We hit the deck and watched from beneath the console as more shots were fired and more blood sprayed. I took a quick glance over my shoulder as a door behind me slammed shut. A well built Mammoth stood staring at the gun man, malice in her small eyes. She was wearing a pair of grubby overalls, the sleeves rolled up to her shoulders. Her muscles looked as if they were carved out of rock, not someone you'd want to mess with, even when drunk.
''You go for a piss and all hell brakes loose as soon as yer arse touches the damn seat!'' She growled and pulled a large spanner from her pocket.
''What the hell are you doing? Get down!'' I found myself hissing.
She looked down at me and the bottom of her long trunk curled slightly.
''Don't worry kid. This ain't the first time he's done this.'' She said and strode forward.

We continued watching from the floor as the hail of bullets continued to tear through people and objects. But not one was aimed at her.
''Jimmy!'' She shouted.
The Ferret-like creature glared at her and raised his gun. I didn't quite catch what happened. There was a moment of ginger-brown blur and then the spanner was lodged in the gun man's head, blood spurting from around the piece of metal as he crumpled to the floor. Me and Lucas looked at each other and slowly stood up. The Mammoth looked over her shoulder at us and grinned.
''He had a mark on 'is head. Now I can quit this lousy, one-rail job without having to worry about where my next pay cheque's comming from.''
She grabbed the dead man by his collar and pulled out the spanner from his head and wiped it on her clothes, before replacing it back in her belt. She hauled him over her shoulder and walked out to where the station police were now stood. The body thumped down wetly on the bonnet of one of the police buggies and one of the coppers gagged and turned away.
''Lucas!'' I called.
Lucas was already out the door and striking up a conversation with the Mammoth. I pulled myself upright and went after him, not too enthusiastic about hearing what he was saying to her, bracing myself to hear his bones being crushed. But she just smiled and ruffled his hair with her trunk as if he was a small child. He looked at me and grinned.
''What've you said or done now?''
''This is Joyce! She's our new engineer!''
She held out a large hand and I took gingerly, hoping and praying that my bones won't be crushed. But, to my surprise, my paw came back to me intact.
''So, that old Kenemian war bird's yours, eh?''
I nodded.
''Pretty little ship that. Won't ever let you down, if she's taken care of properly.'' Joyce said.
''You better go get your stuff. I'll be over at that cafe, so come find me when you're ready.''
''Uh, and make it quick. We still have some important business to take care of.''
Joyce nodded and hurried away.


Mum was back on the bridge. Had been since Son'arh scurried off. Me'rass was in the command chair, overlooking the goings on in the engine room from his command console, watching as Lucas introduced Joyce to the ship and explained the current situation to her. I took a sneak peek at the small screen. She seemed to be absorbing everything he was saying. That was good. I looked up at the sound of mum's voice.
''Preparing to go into Hyper Space..'' She said as her paws glided over her console.
The white of the slip stream enveloped us once more. I was only an hour and a half away from getting Ann back.
''I'll take over if you wanna go see to our new crew member.''
To my surprise, mum stood up and exited the bridge without fuss. Usually she'd have a few things to say before she left, but not this time. I sat down in her seat and looked over the ship's systems from my console. Everything looked normal. I was just hoping that the next hour and a half would fly by. I want all this to be over with. I want a break before the final race. But as usual, that's too much to ask for.
''We will get Ms. Burrows back.'' Me'rass said from behind.
''Oh, I know we will.''


The slip stream evaporated. Son'arh's ship showed up on the radar. He was sat still, weapons and shields down. We were all alone in Sector Delta-C. This should be easy enough. Or at least I'm hoping. Swap the Stalker Mk II for Ann and get the hell away from here before it blows. The main com flickered on and the Onnotian commander came onscreen.
''Pull up alongside and we'll start the trade.'' He said and the screen went blank again.
Lucas looked at me.
''Does mum know we're minutes away from the trade?'' I asked. He nodded.
''She's down in the docking bay now, readying her ship for transport. And she's impressed with Joyce. That woman knows her way around an engine.''
Lucas continued to guide Nea'Kemna towards the Loranz. We sidled up to the other ship and Nea'Kemna shuddered as a docking tunnel was extended towards us, clamping around one of our air locks. The screen flickered on again. It was the commander of Loranz.
''Prepare to be boarded.''
''No one's doing any boarding. Send the girl across and you'll get your ship via teleport transit.'' I snapped.
There was no way in hell I was having one of the frackers on my ship. The commander snorted and his face creased slightly. I heard Me'rass behind me trying not to laugh. Lucas wasn't doing anything to hide his amusement though.
''Very well.'' He grunted. ''Have someone to meet one of my crew halfway in the tunnel. You will remain there until the fighter is onboard.''
The com when blank again.
''Who's going?'' Lucas said.
''I will.''
''No.'' Me'rass said.
I looked at him.

''Lucas will go. He will see to it that Ms. Burrows gets onboard safely.''
I looked from Me'rass to Lucas. Lucas shrugged.
''In a way, I know what he's getting at. Soon as you see that Onnotian guy, chances are, you're gonna make a mess of him and you'll probably end up losing Ann in the process because Son'arh has more people power than we do.''
''That, and if anything does happen, Ann has a better chance at survival with him.''
I sank down into my seat. I knew what he meant, and it was true. I want to tear the Onnotians apart so much right now, I can't put Ann's life at risk anymore than it already is.
''I'll be back before you know it.'' He said and vanished.
''The ship's ready for transit. Lemme know when Ann's onboard.'' Mum's voice came over the in-ship com.
''Will do. Lucas is heading down there now to get her, he'll let you know when.''
I altered the mainscreen on my console and tapped into the security camera for that particular deck. The camera gave a partial view of the inside of the air lock, no more. That'd have to do until we could get it sorted out. I'd really like a better view, but for now, it'd have to wait. The inner door slid open, a small puff of steamed air comming from the points where the top and bottom tracks were as the heavy door rolled back. A red light flashed, signalling the opening of the outer door. Lucas appeared, waiting almost impatiently as the outer door slid back. Then he disappeared into the air lock. I didn't know what was going on, there was no sound. We waited for a few minutes longer. Then the security camera flickered violently, nearly blanking it out. Something flashed within the confines of the air lock, the camera only picking up the edge of whatever it was. I saw Ann stumble into the corridoor, wiping at her bleeding nose with bound hands, then Lucas came back out, an energy ball erupting from his palm and into the tunnel. The air lock doors slammed shut and a faint metallic grinding sound echoed up the ship.

''What's going on Lucas?'' Me'rass demanded.
Apparently, he'd been watching too.
''Nothing much. They just decided they wanted to kill us as soon as the Stalker arrived in their docking bay.''
''Get us out of here.''
I didn't hesitate. My paws moved quickly across the console face and Nea'Kemna shuddered back into life, leaving Loranz behind.
''If you think we're gonna let you get away so easily, you're sorely mistaken.'' The Onnotian commander snapped over an audio only channel.
Loranz was quickly gaining on us as we made our way back towards Rylgarr space. An alarm bleeped and the dim yellow lighting changed to a dull red as the ship shook. I looked at the engine stats. Our Hyper Drive had been knocked off line. Lucas appeared next to me in a short blue flash. He threw a grin my way and the ship shuddered again as another shot, this one weaker, hit us. The shields were immidiately brought online and we turned hard, comming back on them. A hail of yellow shots erupted from above, nailing Loranz across it's side in one smooth motion, it's shield flaring bright white. Looks like mum's just found the primary turret.
''Ready the forward cannons.''
''We have cannons? I thought we just had the one? Oh never mind...''
Lucas turned back around in his seat and a light lit up on my console. Indeed, there were two cannons. Streams of yellow shots kept on battering Loranz' shields. Nea'Kemna vibrated a couple more times as they returned fire. We stayed close, chipping away their shield's energy, slowly weakening it.
''Fire the forward cannon.''
''Firing the cannon!''
Lucas took aim and a bright white oval shot out from beneath us and took Loranz' shield down to twenty percent from eighty. I'm really beginning to like this ship.

''When's the self destruct set for on that Stalker?'' Me'rass asked.
''Should go off in a few....'' I took a quick glance at the time as another enemy shot hit us. ''seconds.''
The timer I'd set up on my console was now in the red, showing ten seconds.
''Take us three hundred tecks away from Loranz and hold position.''
I did so. Two seconds. The portside of Loranz' docking bay was ripped open. Their shields failed and debris was pulled out into space.
''And that little ship did all that...?'' Lucas asked staring at the destruction.
I nodded.
''They're still moving. Charge the forward cannon again and take us back in.''
The cannon charged and we sidled up along side the damaged vessel that was still trying to shoot at us. The com flickered on.
''How dare you go back on a deal!'' The Onnotian commander snarled.
''How dare us?'' Lucas retorted angrily. ''You're the one who declared war on us!''
The commander snarled. ''Lower your weapons and shields, and we'll let you go.''
Me'rass grunted and Lucas laughed.
''Fire the cannon.'' He said and cut off the com.
Another oval of white finished the job, tearing through Loranz. We were sat in a field of debris, the remains of an armed racer carrier manned by fifty Onnotians. Job well done, I say.
''If we're all done here, I'd like to go now. I have a job to do and no ship to get back to Nuam in.'' Mum said over the inner-ship com.
''We have to go past there for the next race anyway, so make yourself comfortable.'' I said.
''The Hyper Drive'll be back online in about three hours. That's the best I can do, sorry.'' Came Joyce's voice.
Then the com clicked back off. I turned to Lucas when I set our course for Nuam.
''Where's Ann?''
''Sick bay tending to her wounds. Hey, don't gimme that look. She wouldn't let me anywhere near her.''
''I'll go see to her.''


The sick bay was a decent size. Ann was sat on a tall tool at the furthest counter looking through the ship's systems. She flinched and nearly took my head off when I touched her shoulder.
''Holy Hell! You scared the frack outta me!'' She gasped.
''What the Hell happened?'' Was all I could say.
''That bastard Onnotian took me down with him. He dragged me from my wreckage then bound and gagged me. Next thing I know, I'm on his space tub being held hostage. And yes; I'm fine. A few cuts and bruises and a tad hungry, but otherwise peachy.''
I sighed and sat down on the stool next to her.
''What d'you think of the ship?''
''Please tell me you and Lucas didn't buy it.''
''You could always travel around and live in your tiny cockpit again...''
''It's nice. But I won't say any more until I've seen the rest of it and met the people who're doing the skivvy job of keeping it intact.''
''We only have two. Commander Me'rass and Chief Engineer Joyce. Who doubles as security...''
Ann looked at me through bruised eyes.
''Don't ask how we found her or what Lucas said to her to get her to join because I don't know either. And Me'rass comes from the same planet as this ship. He captained her sister ship.''
Ann paused. ''I'm curious... What does Nea'Kemna mean..? Because all Kenemian ship names have some meaning behind them.''
''It means fury.''
She blinked. ''Sounds about right for you lot... Anyway. I'm going to bed. Comming?''
She got up and walked towards the door, curling a finger, gesturing me to follow. Well, I do have to show her the cabins, don't I?

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