The Masons Arms, South Somerset, England
The campsite behind the pub more resembled a space port on this dark November evening. Even the lower overspill carpark was taken up with the old pirate freighter Ed had laid claim to. It was a clear evening, but chilly and the group had gathered in a heated thatched hut in the beer garden. It was discreet and away from the busy bar and restaurant where they would be recognised all the time and never left alone. Both of Ed’s black greyhounds, Ripley and Willow, lay on beds in the corner snoring gently and twitching as they ran in their sleep.
‘It’s my round,’ said Andy, giving Callon his tablet and a tray. She could go into the bar and order the drinks as she was relatively unknown.
Ed saw Linda look at her watch.
‘He’ll be here,’ he said. ‘He promised and anyway they’re coming with the K52 to collect the bits of liner you diverted.’
‘I hope Grogun’s still the captain,’ said Linda. ‘I’ll be having words with Bache if she’s not.’
‘She is,’ said Ed.
‘D’you think their forensic teams will find any evidence on them?’ Pol asked.
‘Unlikely, but it’ll be good to get rid of them. They are a navigation nuisance,’ said Phil.
The conversation in the hut paused as the unmistakable scream of antigravs swept over the pub.
‘Told you he’d be here,’ said Ed.
Admiral Bache Loftt arrived at the hut at the same time Callon returned with the drinks. He was alongside Commander Zaphir Mye and Captain Grogun Whipper. A resounding cheer put smiles on their faces as they entered and were greeted by everyone.
‘I wish I got that welcome on my own planet,’ said Bache, musing.
‘Still blaming you for everything?’ Ed asked.
Bache nodded.
‘And us,’ said Zaphir.
‘If you’re navy, you’re to blame for everything,’ said Grogun.
‘Have I got to go back and get more drinks now?’ asked Callon, her shoulders slumping.
‘I’ll go,’ said Zaphir. ‘They do accept our credits don’t they?’
‘I’ll have one of those,’ said Bache, pointing at Andy’s pint of ale.
‘Same here,’ said Grogun.
While Zaphir disappeared off inside, Bache sat down, exhaled a sigh, leant back, laced his fingers behind his head and closed his eyes.
‘What a bloody shit show,’ he said. ‘It’s just one bloody thing after another these days.’
‘Wishing you’d stayed retired?’ Linda asked.
He opened his eyes and stared at her.
‘Hell, yeah…I could’ve been on a beach somewhere warm without a care for anything except where my next cold drink was coming from.’
‘Amen,’ said Linda. ‘Let’s all take the rest of our lives off.’
‘Is there somewhere that doesn’t have a continuous stream of psychotic aliens, murderers, lunatics, unstable gods and giant roaches with guns?’ said Andy. ‘Cuz I want to go there.’
‘Has anyone seen or heard from our two tame gods recently?’ Bache asked, predominantly staring at Ed.
‘Err…nothing since she stopped me exiting an airlock,’ he said.
‘And sending me three rather smelly individuals,’ said Bache. ‘By the way, is that their old ship in the car park?’
Ed nodded slowly in reply.
‘What in the Ancients do you want that shit box for?’ he asked.
‘It’s clandestine,’ said Ed. ‘No one gives it a second look. The Gabriel is big, shiny and attracts attention. That shit box as you call it, doesn’t.’
‘It stinks inside,’ said Andy.
‘It goes into Southampton Starship tomorrow for a refit on the inside and to be retrofitted with all the latest kit and hidden weapons,’ said Ed. ‘It’ll be my little secret spy ship.’
‘Look at you, going all CIA,’ said Linda, sipping her lager and smirking.
‘So, does that mean you’re not retiring either?’ Grogun asked.
‘It means, it’ll be there if required,’ Ed answered.
‘I understand you had a little mishap with one of my fighters, Andrew,’ Bache said, raising one eyebrow.
‘Ah…it’ll be fine…it’ll buff out,’ Andy said hopefully, rolling his eyes.
‘Hmm,’ grunted Bache, fishing a small piece of jagged blue metal out of a pocket.
‘Conor gave me this,’ he said.
‘Ah,’ said Andy. ‘I wondered where that bit was.’
‘What is it?’ asked Rayl.
‘His fighter,’ said Ed. ‘What’s left of it.’
Bache nodded and grinned.
‘It’ll be replaced,’ he said, turning to Ed. ‘And yours will be repaired too while we’re here.’
‘Thanks, Admiral,’ said Ed. ‘Do you guys have any clue where she is?’
Bache shrugged and sighed.
‘Unfortunately, there are a multitude of planets, space stations or even an intersect with another vessel en route. The fact the liner was half a day ahead of you and then turned up after you equates to a stop somewhere for several hours. Where, we may never know.’
‘I don’t like the fact that she’s still out there,’ said Linda.
‘Nobody does,’ said Bache. ‘But she’s an Ancient…she’s been around for three hundred thousand years and taken a very different path to the other two we know. At least we know about her now and if she shows up on any GDA world, flags will be raised. Getting rid of her might prove difficult, but you never know what the future might bring.’
‘We need a god gun,’ said Andy, leaning back and savouring his pint.
‘Are things sorted out on Dasos now?’ Linda asked.
‘Getting there,’ said Bache, taking a deep breath. ‘Stathmos Vasi is pretty much clear now. An occasional bug is discovered cowering in a corner somewhere, but the planet is another thing. That will take a while, although, they are quite meek without the collective leadership of the queen. We believe some might have hibernated because they don’t like the cold and snow much.’
Zaphir arrived back with drinks for the three of them.
‘What’ve you got there?’ Bache asked, eyeing Zaphir’s cloudy drink suspiciously.
‘It’s called Rosie’s Pig, a local slider,’ she said.
‘Cider,’ said Andy. ‘It’s called cider and we’re right in the heart of apple country here where a lot of it’s made.’
‘Looks like dish water,’ said Grogun. ‘You can keep that.’
Just at that moment, Ripley got off her bed, stretched, sniffed the cider and backed away curling her lip.
‘See, even the dog doesn’t like it,’ laughed Grogun.
Willow, thinking she was missing out on something, jumped up and stuck her nose in the glass, licked her lips and began lapping at the cider.
‘Hey,’ said Zaphir, snatching the glass away and eyeing it dubiously. ‘Yuck.’
Bache laughed with everyone else, stood up and raised his glass.
‘Thank you for all your help…Megáli diárkeia zoís,’ he said.
‘Yes,’ said Ed. ‘Long life…cheers everyone.’