Chapter 3

"When do you leave?" My grandfather asked never taking his eyes off the data pad in his hand. He was absentmindedly shoveling food into his mouth with the other without even caring what was on his fork.

"0630 Sir. There is a transport leaving the planet at that time and I'm going to use it to mask my departure." My grandfather may not be a military officer but his quick wits and paranoid attitude toward everything and everyone else has kept him alive. And myself.

Three days out I'd received a coded message from him telling me that there were reports of ships going missing in the system with no traces of what happened. My first thought were pirates but things were just to clean for their normal MO.

"They'll know you've left if you ship is missing. He stated in a matter of fact way." I knew this was coming when he gave me hell about how I showed up. He almost shot me down when I uncloaked outside of his bedroom window. I really had to try and keep myself from laughing whenever I remember the look on his face.

"No Sir they won't, the last time I took the ship out I replaced her with a hologram." It was a brilliant idea if I had to say so myself.

"Excuse me," he said looking at me for the first time since I joined him for dinner. "Did you say you replaced it with a hologram This I gotta hear." He said setting his instruments down and placing his chin on his now clutched hands.

"Not much to tell really. Went and did a fly by of a couple of mountain ranges around your complex. I lifted off and then cloaked. I ran silent for awhile then had a cloaking malfunction."

"A cloaking malfunction?" He asked curiously.

"Well yes. All of a sudden my cloak dropped and I could no longer run on silent."

"And..." he asked waiting for the point.

"Well I did managed to get the cloak to work again but I just couldn't figure out why I couldn't run on silent. So I returned here as quickly as possible. But you know what that darn cloak just kept dropping. And right before I got here it failed completely."

He looked at me waiting for me to continue but when all I did was pick up my fork for another bite to eat. He asked the question I'd been waiting for, "and just where does the hologram fit in."

I feigned surprise at having missed that detail. "Oh yeah the last time the cloaked failed it was actually a hologram of the ship."

"So where exactly is the ship then?"

"Its right where the hologram is."

"Care to explain?"

"Well its sitting right where I landed it and where the hologram ship is. Its been cloaked the whole time."

"It's been what!" He yelled sitting up straight. "That's impossible cloaks only last for 3 hours 4 at the most. There is no way it's been sitting there all this time while cloaked."

"You do have a point. Mine only last for about 3 hours and 45minutes," ... I paused waiting for him to begin speaking. Right when I saw him take a breath I cut him off by saying, "each."

He closed his mouth and looked at me. "What do you mean each?"

"Well I have two installed on my ship. You know those darn things are so useful. But there always one of the first things targeted when you're under attack. The enemy doesn't want you to cloak so you can go run and hide. So I had another built in at a different location on the ship. As you know, after use they take about an hour to cool down and another to charge back up. So having two I never become visible unless I want to. When I do leave I'll just leave the holo drone I'm using behind. It'll go another two weeks before shutting down. By then I'll be long gone."

Having him sit there not saying anything told me he was impressed. He told me if I didn't make my exit from his compound in such a spectacular manor as my arrival then he WOULD shoot me down.

"Good since you've got that in hand I've got a few things I need to discuss with you."

I know my brows drew down at those words. I couldn't help it though. Those words always meant trouble when spoken by someone in my family. "And those would be?"

"Well first I need you to deliver a package for me."

"A package?" I asked questionably. He knew once I left I'd be on a tight schedule to collect my crystals. They had to be picked up at specific times to ensure they each received equal amounts of exposure. "You know I'm on a tight flight plan. I should have left this morning to allow for any unforeseen problems."

"Don't kid me Son, I saw your flight plan. You've allowed for a day and a half already. And what I want delivered is at the end of your route. Once you finish collecting your crystals all you have to do is drop by a space station, deliver the package and you're on your way." He sat back, arms folded to await my decision. He also had a twinkle in his eyes because he knew what I was going to ask next.