War Is Hell

"Been in enough of them. Just taking a break from everything and this happens."

"What happened. Heard the May Day." He held up a finger with an all band radio on it. "Sounded scared."

"She just dropped below FTL and a lifeboat popped out. Old Man and two other crew members went missing. No explanations, just missing."

"Odd. Only thing in range of a life boat is that ball of sand. They could be in heap big trouble if that’s where they are headed." He thought a minute. "They must be meeting someone out there. No other explanation makes sense."

"Yes, but why? Some high treason. A ships Co. pulls down some big credits. Would have to be something to give that up." Star said.

"Yeah," The Hip replied. "Real big credits. Maybe they found something they don’t want anyone to know about. Could be some exotic drug or medicine. The Enfield folk don’t use nurses do they."

"No. To damned dumb. I’ve had a few of them work on me. Real good Little Sisters." He rubbed his shoulder and remembered the nurses repairing it. They were amazed at how quickly he healed and repaired several old breaks that had failed to align properly at the time. When they got finished he was a new man. He couldn’t understand why anyone would turn down such service. The Hives offered it free to anyone who wanted it. Star shook his head and walked into the terminal building.

An Instel terminal is a bee hive of activity. No matter where they are located, they receive information on all the latest news. What ships are where. Even Enfield ships are logged and plotted on the huge Star maps. Who commands and what their next destination is. Any changes in scheduling are routed through the complex series of terminals. It was rumored that the Empire boasted ten thousand systems. No one could possibly keep track of such a conglomeration of systems.

"Anything exciting happening?" He asked the ancient human who was manning the terminal at the moment.

"Just the usual. Had sixteen ships change scheduled. Had a disaster call. You know Instel. Law says no ship can ignore a call for help. They were the closest so they all broke schedule and headed for the system that put out the call." She explained.

"What system? We had three crew members disappear from the Mother McGee." Star asked, wondering if their May Day could have caused that many ripples in the huge Instel conglomerate.

"No. Was other side of the void. Long way from here. Had a natural disaster of some sort." She went back to her screens.

"Incoming Berth one." She suddenly said to an insect who was doing the port control systems.

"Berth one! Can’t Be!" Not here!" The Insectoid said.

Star walked to the door and watched as a tiny speck in the troposphere grew larger. A golden ship approached. She was a Tacheon drive ship. He knew that whine anywhere. She settled to the end of the field nearest the group of buildings. A man and woman rode the grav lift to the ground. He was tall. Slightly graying hair, Gray eyes, Perhaps six feet four. About his own height and build. They walked across the field shoulder to shoulder and entered the terminal building. The woman took in the huge screens at a glance. The man saw him and stopped. Star thought he was going to say something but he didn’t. He shrugged and walked on.