Re: 5 Minutes: Reloaded
Posted: December 18th, 2018, 4:22 am
Now where were we?........... Um, oh yes, Rose just decked Dominic and left him wondering what happened. The princess just gave her a bit of advice, maybe it will help. It hasn't been Rose's style, but, I guess we have to see how it works out. The colonel will be getting there with the two scientists. How is Rydia going to react to meeting the colonel and the researchers, not to mention general Parker's aid? Things could get tense.
Chapter 54
Daniel looked out the limo window at the open land rushing by. He wondered if Melpomene had had any luck trying to mollify the colonies representatives. He looked back at the generals liason officer. “Things have not been going well with the colonies,” he confessed, “and I’m afraid I am to blame for that. The princess was hoping, now that we have that weapon, they would be more reasonable.”
“You can’t be blamed for the incident,” Tom assured him. “I read the report. There was no way to know that Captain McFairlaine was influenced by outside forces. Frankly, it seems like something out of a scifi novel, some mad scientist developing a mind control device. Our psych research people say it can’t be done. We have to find out who’s behind this.”
“I know, but there is nothing to go on,” Daniel confessed as they pulled up to the door of the old hotel. “At least we have the Atropos weapon and it’s creator. Dominic is bringing her here. They should be with the pilots by now.”
“Ah, the creator of the weapon is the one that has been with your captain,” Dr. Moeller broke in. “I had assumed we would have only a pilot to work with. I certainly hope they will co-operate. It would make this so much easier than trying to reverse engineer the operating system.”
“I haven’t had a chance to meet the woman yet,” Daniel told them
Janice looked up at the building as she got out of the car. A woman? That knew the morse language?...... Had the woman known Janice father? She pictured an older woman in a lab coat. Janice had met many other women in R&D but none of them were mech pilots...... the picture just didn’t fit. Well. she thought, as the colonel allowed her to enter the lounge area ahead of him, I’ll soon find out.
Daniel almost ran over Janice as the woman stopped short in front of him. Now what was going on?? Daniel looked from Janice to Rydia......
Chad poked his head into the service opening for the power unit. “Arisa, how are things going” He called out to her.
Arisa’s face appeared around the side of the damaged unit and she gave him a quick kiss. “Just finished,” she told him. “Now help me out of here.” Chad took the box of tools she pushed toward him and set them aside. He lifted Arisa out of the narrow compartment, once again thanking the fates that she was with him. The small girl could squeeze into the confined space and was good enough with tools to make the bypass connections Chad had shown her. It save him hours of work removing the armored panels to get at the connections.
“Ok, we can start running up the other power units and getting them back to full output.” Chad told her. “I should be able to get a bit more out of each of them so it will compensate a bit for the loss of the one unit. I just hope Georgianna can rewrite the operating system on Rydia’s balance unit to work with one unit offline.”
“The captain will fix the software,” Arisa assured him. “You just get those units tuned up.”
“Right, ma’am.” Chad gave her a mock salute. If I can keep my mind on the job, he thought. Arisa was just too cute in the coveralls that were a couple sizes too big, sleeves and cuffs rolled up, a belt gathering up the waist. He wished they had a little time alone somewhere.
Daniel looked again at the two women. They had the same auburn hair tied up on top of their heads, the same large hazel eyes behind large glasses, the same small nose and full lips...... They could almost be.....
“Rydia??” Janice’s voice wavered.
“Janice??” Rydia’s voice squeeked.
“But...... YOU’RE DEAD!” Both women said at the same time.
“No I’m not,” Janice insisted.
“When the pirates took us out of the school, they told us the EDF was bombing the whole planet, that they were killing everyone. The pirates told us that they tried to save our parents but they couldn’t. “ Rydia explained.
“That isn’t what happened,” Janice corrected her. “The pirates were killing everyone and burning the town because the people wouldn’t help them. Father hid me in the cellar and they didn’t find me. The EDF drove the pirates away, but there weren’t many survivors. Mom and Dad died.”
“But...but they told me......” Rydia’s voice broke, her eyes filled with tears. “Janice!” Rydia sobbed as she ran to her sister.
Janice wrapped her arms around Rydia, her own eyes filling with tears. “You’re here. it’s really you,” She comforted the girl. “I’m here for you little sister.”
The room was totally silent, everyone looked on in complete surprise. “Sisters?” Daniel broke the silence.
Janice looked up and smiled, tears filling her eyes. “My little sister,” She told him. “I thought she was dead. The pirates burned down the school during the Ceti Seven massacre, the EDF told us all the children died. I was in middle school, we were off that day, I was at home.”
“The pirates took the youngest children from several colonies that they destroyed.” The colonel told her in a quiet voice. “The younger ones were easier to re-educate.”
Daniel watched the two women sit together on one of the sofa’s. They had so much to talk about, so much to catch up on. “That was something I would never have anticipated,” he told Dr. Moeller.
“It’s very touching and all,” Tod answered, “but we’re wasting time, we should be getting to our mission, that’s what is important right now.”
“You’re wrong about that doctor,” Melpomene told him as she stepped up next to The colonel. “Family is what’s important, without our families, we wouldn’t have an empire. There’s no rush on that weapon, it can wait a few hour, or even days. We have what we need now.”
“Talking of missions, did you have any luck with the colony delegates?” Daniel asked the princess.
“Very little,” she confessed, “not enough to make a difference. The majority of the colonies are pushing the others to break away from the empire. Without a common goal, or a common enemy, I’m afraid that the empire is going to break up. That can only lead to anarchy and bloodshed.”
“I just hope the colonies don’t look at the EDF as the common enemy,” Daniel sighed.
Tom, General Parker’s aide, watched the two women. It was hard to believe, Janice did have a younger sister, and she was as interesting as her older sister. He waited while the two women caught up with their emotions. At a point when their conversation wound down to a pause, he stepped up to the two. “Miss Farrell, I'm Tom Siefeld, aide to general George Parker.” He introduced himself. “I am to be your liaison with the EDF. If there is anything you need...... or would like.... I am at your service, ah, it would be my pleasure to supply it.”
Rydia looked up at the officer who had approached them. Her breath caught, He was lean and handsome, dark hair and dark brown eyes. She almost forgot to listen as he introduced himself. Slowly his words sunk in, anything she would like.......... It took several long moments before she broke the spell and could reply. “Oh.... Thank you, I, ah, I don’t want to be any bother.” Rydia stammered.
“Not at all,” Tom assured her, “I would be happy to be able to assist you.”
Daniel heard the princess giggle and looked over at her. “I bet he would be,” she whispered to him.
Dominic finally found Rose, outside sitting alone on the low stone wall around the property. She must have been crying, her eyes were red. Dominic felt like a cad, a mean hearted jerk. It was his fault. “I’m so sorry Rose,” Dominic told her “I should have found some way to tell you what was happening. I just didn’t realize..........”
Rose stood up and wrapped her arms around his neck, cutting him off. “I was so afraid that you were captured, or dead,” she tod him, “I just didn’t know. “I thought I’d lost you forever........ Then, I saw those pictures...... You with Rydia........ I thought....... But she told me all about it,” Rose sniffed and sobbed for a bit of added effect. “I had it all wrong, I shouldn’t have hit you.”
Dominic held Rose tight. How could he have been so blind. All these years he had thought of Rose as tough and unbreakable. He hadn’t thought that she could be hurt..... That she really cared for him. “It’s ok, Rose. I deserved that.” He told her softly. “I promise I’ll never leave you again.”
Rose smiled as she held Dom tight. Maybe she had tried too hard to be just one of the tough guys. The princess was right, being a bit “fragile” didn’t hurt her attractiveness at all. In fact, it felt kind of nice. This could be a very memorable night.
Chapter 54
Daniel looked out the limo window at the open land rushing by. He wondered if Melpomene had had any luck trying to mollify the colonies representatives. He looked back at the generals liason officer. “Things have not been going well with the colonies,” he confessed, “and I’m afraid I am to blame for that. The princess was hoping, now that we have that weapon, they would be more reasonable.”
“You can’t be blamed for the incident,” Tom assured him. “I read the report. There was no way to know that Captain McFairlaine was influenced by outside forces. Frankly, it seems like something out of a scifi novel, some mad scientist developing a mind control device. Our psych research people say it can’t be done. We have to find out who’s behind this.”
“I know, but there is nothing to go on,” Daniel confessed as they pulled up to the door of the old hotel. “At least we have the Atropos weapon and it’s creator. Dominic is bringing her here. They should be with the pilots by now.”
“Ah, the creator of the weapon is the one that has been with your captain,” Dr. Moeller broke in. “I had assumed we would have only a pilot to work with. I certainly hope they will co-operate. It would make this so much easier than trying to reverse engineer the operating system.”
“I haven’t had a chance to meet the woman yet,” Daniel told them
Janice looked up at the building as she got out of the car. A woman? That knew the morse language?...... Had the woman known Janice father? She pictured an older woman in a lab coat. Janice had met many other women in R&D but none of them were mech pilots...... the picture just didn’t fit. Well. she thought, as the colonel allowed her to enter the lounge area ahead of him, I’ll soon find out.
Daniel almost ran over Janice as the woman stopped short in front of him. Now what was going on?? Daniel looked from Janice to Rydia......
Chad poked his head into the service opening for the power unit. “Arisa, how are things going” He called out to her.
Arisa’s face appeared around the side of the damaged unit and she gave him a quick kiss. “Just finished,” she told him. “Now help me out of here.” Chad took the box of tools she pushed toward him and set them aside. He lifted Arisa out of the narrow compartment, once again thanking the fates that she was with him. The small girl could squeeze into the confined space and was good enough with tools to make the bypass connections Chad had shown her. It save him hours of work removing the armored panels to get at the connections.
“Ok, we can start running up the other power units and getting them back to full output.” Chad told her. “I should be able to get a bit more out of each of them so it will compensate a bit for the loss of the one unit. I just hope Georgianna can rewrite the operating system on Rydia’s balance unit to work with one unit offline.”
“The captain will fix the software,” Arisa assured him. “You just get those units tuned up.”
“Right, ma’am.” Chad gave her a mock salute. If I can keep my mind on the job, he thought. Arisa was just too cute in the coveralls that were a couple sizes too big, sleeves and cuffs rolled up, a belt gathering up the waist. He wished they had a little time alone somewhere.
Daniel looked again at the two women. They had the same auburn hair tied up on top of their heads, the same large hazel eyes behind large glasses, the same small nose and full lips...... They could almost be.....
“Rydia??” Janice’s voice wavered.
“Janice??” Rydia’s voice squeeked.
“But...... YOU’RE DEAD!” Both women said at the same time.
“No I’m not,” Janice insisted.
“When the pirates took us out of the school, they told us the EDF was bombing the whole planet, that they were killing everyone. The pirates told us that they tried to save our parents but they couldn’t. “ Rydia explained.
“That isn’t what happened,” Janice corrected her. “The pirates were killing everyone and burning the town because the people wouldn’t help them. Father hid me in the cellar and they didn’t find me. The EDF drove the pirates away, but there weren’t many survivors. Mom and Dad died.”
“But...but they told me......” Rydia’s voice broke, her eyes filled with tears. “Janice!” Rydia sobbed as she ran to her sister.
Janice wrapped her arms around Rydia, her own eyes filling with tears. “You’re here. it’s really you,” She comforted the girl. “I’m here for you little sister.”
The room was totally silent, everyone looked on in complete surprise. “Sisters?” Daniel broke the silence.
Janice looked up and smiled, tears filling her eyes. “My little sister,” She told him. “I thought she was dead. The pirates burned down the school during the Ceti Seven massacre, the EDF told us all the children died. I was in middle school, we were off that day, I was at home.”
“The pirates took the youngest children from several colonies that they destroyed.” The colonel told her in a quiet voice. “The younger ones were easier to re-educate.”
Daniel watched the two women sit together on one of the sofa’s. They had so much to talk about, so much to catch up on. “That was something I would never have anticipated,” he told Dr. Moeller.
“It’s very touching and all,” Tod answered, “but we’re wasting time, we should be getting to our mission, that’s what is important right now.”
“You’re wrong about that doctor,” Melpomene told him as she stepped up next to The colonel. “Family is what’s important, without our families, we wouldn’t have an empire. There’s no rush on that weapon, it can wait a few hour, or even days. We have what we need now.”
“Talking of missions, did you have any luck with the colony delegates?” Daniel asked the princess.
“Very little,” she confessed, “not enough to make a difference. The majority of the colonies are pushing the others to break away from the empire. Without a common goal, or a common enemy, I’m afraid that the empire is going to break up. That can only lead to anarchy and bloodshed.”
“I just hope the colonies don’t look at the EDF as the common enemy,” Daniel sighed.
Tom, General Parker’s aide, watched the two women. It was hard to believe, Janice did have a younger sister, and she was as interesting as her older sister. He waited while the two women caught up with their emotions. At a point when their conversation wound down to a pause, he stepped up to the two. “Miss Farrell, I'm Tom Siefeld, aide to general George Parker.” He introduced himself. “I am to be your liaison with the EDF. If there is anything you need...... or would like.... I am at your service, ah, it would be my pleasure to supply it.”
Rydia looked up at the officer who had approached them. Her breath caught, He was lean and handsome, dark hair and dark brown eyes. She almost forgot to listen as he introduced himself. Slowly his words sunk in, anything she would like.......... It took several long moments before she broke the spell and could reply. “Oh.... Thank you, I, ah, I don’t want to be any bother.” Rydia stammered.
“Not at all,” Tom assured her, “I would be happy to be able to assist you.”
Daniel heard the princess giggle and looked over at her. “I bet he would be,” she whispered to him.
Dominic finally found Rose, outside sitting alone on the low stone wall around the property. She must have been crying, her eyes were red. Dominic felt like a cad, a mean hearted jerk. It was his fault. “I’m so sorry Rose,” Dominic told her “I should have found some way to tell you what was happening. I just didn’t realize..........”
Rose stood up and wrapped her arms around his neck, cutting him off. “I was so afraid that you were captured, or dead,” she tod him, “I just didn’t know. “I thought I’d lost you forever........ Then, I saw those pictures...... You with Rydia........ I thought....... But she told me all about it,” Rose sniffed and sobbed for a bit of added effect. “I had it all wrong, I shouldn’t have hit you.”
Dominic held Rose tight. How could he have been so blind. All these years he had thought of Rose as tough and unbreakable. He hadn’t thought that she could be hurt..... That she really cared for him. “It’s ok, Rose. I deserved that.” He told her softly. “I promise I’ll never leave you again.”
Rose smiled as she held Dom tight. Maybe she had tried too hard to be just one of the tough guys. The princess was right, being a bit “fragile” didn’t hurt her attractiveness at all. In fact, it felt kind of nice. This could be a very memorable night.