The Project

Chapter 26

The Project Chapter 26

Both Gruk and Kleg greeted him as well as introducing their girlfriends Sualla and Freia.

"They released the bounties as well as the raider ship," announced Alex, I credited you guys each fifteen thousand credits if that's not enough I can go more, but I'm going to need something for our ship." Both Golians nodded,

"That is very fair, and thank you very much, you have been more than generous," said Gruk. Kleg also thanked him profusely.

"So what do you plan to do next?" Asked Kleg,

"Are you guys going back to Doradus or Deneva?" he asked.

"No," replied Gruk, in fact Freia here was just giving us our next assignment, seems we have to run out to Griesha Gra, and pick up some specialized mining equipment for Glira, there is a time factor, so we will be leaving here shortly."

"Well if that's the case," said Alex, I guess we'll have to wait until Arna and Garmik show up." Kleg then indicated to entrance of the bar,

"Would that be your captain?" he said matter-of-factly. Alex looked over to see Arna heading right towards them.

"There you are," announced Arna, "They told us on Doradus you came here." Alex then introduced his android pilot, who asked him,

"Where are Kelly and Bria?"

"Well if they are not back in our room at the hostelry, they are still at some spa they found out about," replied Alex.

"Well we had better find them," added Arna, Garmik is finishing up business with the Oxynian representatives."

"Say, why don't you sit down and have something to drink!" Exclaimed Gruk,

"I've never shared a drink with an android before, what's your hurry?"

"Well this is certainly interesting?" Thought Alex, as he observed Arna glare at the Golian.

"Whoa!" Exclaimed Gruk,

"I had forgotten that 'droids didn't drink, excuse me for living, you can still have a seat and just chat. How was Xindus? Did you know Alex here killed some raiders?"

Arna's eyes darted to Alex,

"Is that true?" He grimaced, and replied.

"I'm afraid so Arna, we were on our way back to Doradus when a raider ship attacked us, Gruk told me that they probably had devices that could detect plasers, and stuff, but since I had guns that fire bullets, I thought we might get the drop on them."

"He and that female certainly did," injected Gruk, "He went charging on to their ship that had docked with us, just shooting and killing."

"As I recall," said Alex, "You and Kleg managed to get a couple of them."

"That we did, my friend," replied Gruk, "But it was you who did the last thing they expected and went charging at them like you did." Arna continued to stare at Alex, then in almost a whisper said,

"Gideon told me he could see a lot of himself in you, that's just the sort of thing he would have done." She sat for another few moments thinking of something when Gruk announced;

"Well we have to be going, if by any chance you find yourselves on Golia, stop by "Neb's Nebula," we can usually be found there whenever Kleg and I are in that sector. You can't miss the place; it's within throwing distance of the security gate at the spaceport." Alex shook hands with both Golians, and nodded at Sualla, and Freia.

"Well we will certainly do that, and the next time we pass through here, I'll make it a point to stop in here."

"We'll be here," replied Kleg, "Catch you later."

As he and Arna were heading down the large passage way, Alex asked Arna,

"You aren't mad at us for coming here are you?" Arna looked at him,

"No, should I be?"

"Well we did leave Doradus rather quickly while you and Garmik were gone, and that look you gave Gruk." Arna shook her head,

"Those two…Ha!

"What's the matter with them?" He asked.

"They should have been better prepared; raiders can appear at any time, making you do all the fighting, that was not right."

"They told me the raiders would be able to tell if we had any weapons on board, except for mine, I didn't want to be taken captive, and I had Kelly and especially Bria to look out for. It was the only thing I could think of at the moment,"

Arna continued to walk, then stopped and turned.

"If we should ever befall such a situation, let me handle things."

"What would you have done differently?" He asked, Arna said nothing as she resumed walking. This caused Alex to wonder if there was more to Arna than met the eye.

"So how did things go?"

"Better than Garmik had hoped," she replied.

"Both Deneva and Doradus are placing orders for two medium transports with the option for two reserve craft. Zeb Kifire was very impressed with the manufacturing capabilities on Xindus; he's also looking at the possibilities of manufacturing specialized mining equipment there."

"That's great," said Alex,

"Mr. Kifire is also talking of opening a major re-fit shop there as well, it will certainly put a great many back to work, Garmik is a real hero in Xindus."

"Well that's great," replied Alex, "I'm really glad to hear that."

"Actually the most important thing," said Arna, "Is that Mr. Kifire thinks that even though Xindus isn't close, it's closer than Uggi-Klarn, which is the nearest manufacturing planet. He says it will save The Oxynian Company millions of credits over the long term in manufacturing and shipping costs. Eventually Xindus will become the manufacturing and re-fit point for this entire sector."

Both of them arrived at Alex's room to find that Kelly and Bria had returned, but Alex couldn't believe what he saw. Both of them simply "glowed," their appearances were completely changed. Everything from their skin to their hair was completely "remade."

"What did they do to you two?" He stated, "You guys are…Beautiful!" Kelly and Bria laughed,

"Well after all we went through, we'd better be!" Announced Kelly.

"Your hair," replied Alex, "It really looks great, I really mean it. And you Bria, you look terrific, and your hair…" Bria's hair was now blonde with several shades of brown running through it. It was also a little shorter but fluffed out giving her face a "pixie" look. Kelly's was also somewhat shorter, and more styled. It was still black but like Bria's, had several shades of red with one darker swatch running center down the front of her hair.

"Those people were simply genius's with hair," said Bria, "I've always dreamed of having my hair this way, but nobody at the palace was able to do it properly.

"Same here," added Kelly, we think the women working there had to have been telepathic, while we were getting massaged, which by the way was incredible, they asked us to relax and think about the way we've always wanted our hair to be, well when it came time to do our hair, they already knew, and did it perfectly."

"Well both of you are simply gorgeous," uhh how much did all that set you back?"

"Is that all you can think about?" Snapped Kelly.

"No," he replied, "They cut loose the bounty money as well as the raider ship, I've already been paid for it, I just need to know how much to reimburse Bria here, 'cause I know you don't have any credits."

Kelly calmed down, and admitted he was right. "So how much did you get?" She asked.

"Well the bounties on Agrat and Kreed came to fifty thousand credits; the scrap dealer gave me another twenty thousand for the ship. I gave Gruk and Kleg fifteen thousand each which they thought was fair, that leaves around forty thousand credits, most of which we will need for fuel, and repairs."

"Well including this room, our make-over's, and the rest you owe me, we're looking at right around eight hundred credits," replied Bria. Alex winced, but the debt had to be re-paid.

"Well let's go find someplace where I can transfer that amount to you," he said.

"Oh yeah, Kelly, here's a new translator, I found the one I'm wearing on that raider ship I traded in my old one and used the credits to help pay for this one."

Kelly and Bria began to examine his translator, with Bria asking,

"How does it stay on your head?"

"The guy at the shop told me the damn thing is alive, it…Just stays where you put it that's all." He then had to explain the eyepiece and the little fold out mic. Both Kelly and Bria thought it looked "cool" but Alex had other things on his mind.

Turning to Arna, he asked,

"Forty thousand credits isn't going to last very long is it?" Shaking her head, she replied,

"It will cost close to ten thousand just to fuel the ship. Right now, the Oxynian trading company is crediting us that amount for the travel to and from Xindus, to Deneva, Doradus and finally here. Now the Karla-Ann doesn't take ten thousand credits worth of fuel to travel that distance, but you get the idea." Alex frowned as he nodded.

"So how can we make money? What did you and Gideon do?"

"Whatever was available," said Arna, "But he was a realist, you and Kelly come from another world, we may have to change a few things, other than that, I am not prepared to say any more." This started Alex to thinking about some of the places Arna and Gideon had been revealed by the records Dulvi had dredged up. Right now they had to find a credit transfer station, or as Alex and Kelly envisioned, an "ATM machine." As they walked along, Alex asked Arna,

"Do they have anything like a job board here? You know someplace that lists all sorts of jobs available. I remember playing a video game once that featured something like that it was where you went to find work."

Before she could answer, Garmik suddenly appeared coming the other way. Arna rushed up to him reaching for his hands which she held for a moment. Garmik then looked at Alex and said,

"They want to see you back at the Oxynian trading office right away Alex."

"Now what? He replied, "We were just there."

"I spoke with a Mr. Mocon, who knew that I was a member of the Karla-Ann crew," continued the android.

"All he would say is something has just come up and he wishes to speak to you and Arna as well."

"Why me?" She asked,

"He wouldn't say just that we are to report to his office immediately." All he could do was shake his head and grumble, but at least they found a transfer station where Alex relieved his debt to Bria.

As they entered the trading company office, Deev welcomed them.

"I'm sorry to bother you again, but we've got a bit of a problem that hopefully you can help us with."

"And what would that be?" Asked Arna.

"Well it seems that Agrat Slyr and company attacked and destroyed a private craft traveling from Moriedia to Ussen Ommo, before they attacked you. Apparently there were no survivors, save a young boy and girl who were picked up by an ore freighter; they are now here at Fort Kamata. The Moriedian ambassador has been notified, and has requested that these children be returned to Moriedia. Right now all our assets are committed to other tasks and locations, would you be able to return them there, the trading company would be happy to cover your fuel expenses."

"Umm where is Moriedia?" Asked Alex.

"It's out in the Eisel system," replied Arna, who then began to stare at Alex. He knew what it meant, replying,

"Hey, you're the captain, is this Moriedia near anywhere we need to go?" Arna ignored him, turning to Deev.

"We will take the job, providing I receive an official Oxynian fuel voucher."

"Well now that you are here, we need to register your ship anyway; the fuel voucher can be incorporated at that time."

"Very well," replied Arna, where are these children?"

"Right now, down at the infirmary undergoing examination, they should be finished by the time we are finished here," said Deev.

The whole process took roughly ten minutes, basically establishing registry, and the names of the crew along with their place of origin. Arna also did something that interested Alex. Deev set up an Oxynian trading fuel account for them, which would allow them to fuel at any planet with an Oxynian presence, as well as several that didn't, but had trade agreements with the company. Also, a designated amount would be deducted from any payments for work done for the company. Alex's earlier question was also answered, when Deev said,

"The Oxynian Company maintains a job board only accessible from our fueling points, when you fuel, you will be given an access code for the board, which will allow you to scan the board on your ships computer, selecting anything that looks interesting."

"Boy, they really have their "bases" covered don't they," he thought, still it appeared to be rather convenient.

Shortly two kids accompanied by three security types appeared at the office door,

"Ahh here they are now," announced Deev. Alex and the others turned to see two very unusual children. At first he thought they were albinos their skin was very pale. There was a boy and girl; the boy looked to be around thirteen or fourteen, and the girl around eight or nine judging from her size. Their hair was pure white but their eyes were completely black both pupil and iris, making them resemble some kind of vampire or ghoul. The moment he thought that both children suddenly scowled at him.

"Whoa there kids!" he quickly announced, "I mean you no harm."