“What do you think it means?” Loomie asked.

“Maybe our friends from Verbena still have some issues.”Gerrin mused.

Loomie looked at him. “What do you want me to do?”

Gerrin thought for a second. “Sit tight for now. Don’t run unless they see us or shoot at us. If you have to run, tell us all to grab on and just take off.”

“Aye, cap’n.”

“I’ll be in the engine room.” Gerrin was about to leave when he noticed that his pilot looked scared. He turned back, placed a hand on her shoulder and said “By the way, you’re doing a great job. You’re a hell of an outstanding pilot.”

Loomie smiled as Gerrin left the cockpit.

On the other ship Maddox said “Well?”

Pearsoll was getting irritated. “They’ll move when they move. Now sit down and wait for it.”

Maddox leaned close to the pilot. “I paid you very well to track Turgenyev for me, and the only stipulation I made is that I get to fire the shot that kills him. I want that kill. Now if you can’t give it to me, we can go back and I can cancel the payment. What’s your choice?”

Pearsoll let out an exasperated hiss. “You really live in a FANG-tsang FONG-kwong duh jie (knot of self-indulgent lunacy), don’t you?” He left his seat. “I’ll modify some of the countermeasures and use ‘em as mines. But I don’t promise nothing.”

In the Troll’s med bay Doc and Lewis continued their vigil over Anna. Lewis was worried. “How much longer ‘till she wakes up?”

“It could take awhile, but that doesn’t mean anything.” Doc reassured him. “We just have to wait for it.”

“But you’re a doctor, right? You can fix her?”-- Doc hesitated: she knew he’d find out eventually. “Yes and no, Lewis. I’m actually a medic. I never got licensed as a doctor.”

“But if you’re just a medic, why do they call you ‘Doc’?”

“I got the name ‘Doc’ because I spent so much time working on wounded soldiers that I got as much experience as a regular doctor. The only thing missing is the license.”

“But you’re good, right?”

Doc smiled “A lot of people think so.”

“Then you can fix her.” Lewis was making a statement.

Doc decided to bend the truth slightly. “I’ve seen injuries like this before, and as long as there’re no internal injuries, yes, I can fix her.”

Lewis nodded. “Okay.”

In the engine room Aldous and Gerrin finished transferring the coolant from one engine to the other. The ship’s batteries kept the life support on until they were finished, but at a reduced capacity. The interior of the ship had grown noticeably colder and less bright during the operation. The reduced power to the grav plating also made everyone feel a bit lighter. As they left the engineroom Aldous commented “Good thing we got it fixed when we did. It’s cold in here.”

Gerrin nodded. “Right. Now, let’s go check on Reilly. Good job, by the way”

“Thanks.” They both moved up the passageway to the mess area where Reilly was patching the leak. As they entered the mess area they noticed a rubber patch on the wall with large amounts of black goo oozing out around the sides. Aldous gaped. “Ni shenme ne! (What the hell!) What the hell did you do in here?!?”

Reilly heard the outburst and came back in the room, cleaning the same black goo off his hands. Stains from the goo decorated his dark gray coveralls and reddish hair. “I patched the leak. What's your problem?”

Aldous was angry. “You put all that on a patch? You never put that much on a patch! You’re wasting gasket dressing!”

“And I told you I’m not an engineer.” Reilly became testy. “I did what I thought was best. You don’t like it, you can take over any time.”

“All right, that’s enough.” Gerrin started, but Aldous and Reilly weren’t through. “Maybe I should do it myself!” Aldous snapped. “I could be drunk and do a better job than what you did here!”

“Well, why don’t you go get drunk and do it yourself, then?” Reilly snapped back. “From the looks of some things around here-“

“Vass oboikh, zamolCHEEtye! (Both of you, shut up!)” Gerrin roared. “It’s done! Move on! Start working on how to stay alive. Jaime, go make sure the hazmat locker’s secured. Aldous, go get ready to start the engines.”

Reilly and Aldous glared at each other for a moment. “Say-CHASS! (NOW!)” Gerrin commanded.

The two separated and went about their duties. On his way out Reilly grumbled “I wish he’d make up his mind what language to use.”, while Aldous growled "Liou coe shway duh biao-tze huh hoe-tze duh ur-tze (Stupid son of a drooling whore and a monkey)."

On the other ship Pearsoll returned to his cockpit. “The mines are ready. I’ll make a pass over the nearest asteroids, drop ‘em, and we’ll see what happens.”

“As long as I get what I came for”, Maddox acknowledged.

Pearsoll added “But if I start running out of fuel or ammo, that’s it, I’m heading back.”

Maddox turned toward him. “You’ll do what you’re told when you’re told.”

“That’s only gonna work for so long” Pearsoll replied icily as he edged his ship forward.

Gerrin managed to calm down a little as he made his way to the med bay. He poked his head in the door and asked “How’s your patient, Doc?”

“Stable” Doc replied. “So no news is good news.”

“Doc can bring her around” Lewis concluded.

“No doubt in my mind.” Gerrin confirmed. Turning to Doc, he said “Okay. Keep looking after her. I’ll be in the cockpit or the engineroom.” Gerrin departed the med bay. “Just keep it as smooth as you can.” Doc called after him.

“That’s the plan.” Gerrin’s voice echoed in the passageway.

Lewis chased after him. “Captain!”

Gerrin turned. “What is it, Lewis?”

Lewis caught up with him. “Who’s after us?”

“I don’t know.” Gerrin admitted. ”All we know is they’re mad about something.”

“Is it something to do with Nikolai Turgenyev and Lotus Ridge?”

Gerrin hesitated, surprised by the question, but answered “That’s always a possibility. All we know for sure is someone’s after us. By the way, how did you know about Lotus Ridge in the first place?”

Lewis shrugged. “Mom had me look you up on the cortex back at home. Wasn’t easy.”

“Never is.” Gerrin agreed.

“But you’re no butcher, you just had bad information.” Lewis reminded him.

Gerrin sighed “The Alliance says I am, and a lot of people still believe them.”

“So tell them the truth.”

“It’s not that easy. I have to prove they’re lying.”

“Someone’s got proof. There were orders, right?”

“Those records are locked up tight somewhere, if they haven’t been destroyed.”

“They’re out there.” Lewis insisted. “Everything goes somewhere, and some people can go everywhere.”

Gerrin chuckled. “Sounds like you’re a fan of ‘Mr. Universe’.”

“Well, he was the master at using the cortex.”

Their conversation was interrupted by an explosion, faint but obvious, coming from outside the hull. Another explosion, slightly louder, followed. The third explosion shook the Troll. Loomie’s voice came over the intercom: “Everybody, hold on! Here they come again!”

Gerrin’s and Lewis’s legs buckled as the ship jumped from the asteroid they were parked on. “Get back to med bay and hold on.” Gerrin ordered before turning for the cockpit.

On the other ship Pearsoll said “She’s loose. We’re on her.”

Two spaceships soared soundlessly among a field of asteroids, one chasing the other, both careening between the rocks.

To Be Continued.