Chapter 11

I don't like to lie so I always keep to the truth where ever possible so when I was called up to testify at Jefferson's Court Marshal I did just that. I told them that he and I had taken the 299 on a shake down cruise to test out the new engines as he had a couple of weeks to wait for his ship to dock. I told them that we had some problems with them and we were limping home when we came across the abandoned Meteor. We took it in tow and we were just a little late getting back. The Navy, I hoped would read between the lines and think that we had gone out looking for trouble with the Cadasians, secretly they would like that in a young officer. It was just unfortunate that we had some engine trouble but going AWOL was a serious offence so some action had to be taken.

"So how is it?" I asked Jefferson outside the court.

"It'll be fine," he said with a smile. "They'll have to do something and I'm expecting to miss my next promotion board but that should be it."

"So you are ok then?" I asked.

"Yeah," he confirmed. "In some respect I envy you. You have you own ship and crew who will follow you to hell and back."

"We've been there too, you and I," I stated.

"Yeah," he smiled. "It strange the bond that builds up between people when you've shared danger."

"Ain't that the truth," I said. "Anyway I must go, I have cargo's to deliver."

Taking his hand, I shook it warmly.

We were twelve days out from Sol 3 and I hadn't seen much of Lila at all until then when I felt her slip into the co-pilot's seat beside me.

"How you doing?" I asked.

For once she was almost completely dressed.

"A lot better now thank you," she said.

Her voiced sounded brighter anyway.

"Will you look at that," I said pointing out a system off on the port quarter.

Even travelling at warp five we had plenty of time to study the colourful rings around a nearby gas giant.

"You know," I said. "I don't want anything more than I have right now. What's that famous quote? A stout ship and a star to steer her by."

"I'm not sure I've heard of that one," she said.

"Well it's true," I mused. "I have this ship, a fine crew and all of space to explore."

After that we both were silent for a long time, each with their own thoughts. Me, I was just so happy that both Lila and Candy were back safe and well. Then a slight noise broke our mediations.

"I'm picking up a distress call," said Lila, her voice taking on a serious tone.

"Where?" I asked.

"Back from that system we just passed," she said.

"Lee ho," I called, and swung us about.

"Is it another ship?" I asked once we had reversed our course.

"Not sure yet," said Lila who was fiddling with the sensors controls. "No, it's from the fourth planet."

"What's going on?" asked Candy who looked damm sexy just roused from her sleep.

"Distress call," answered Lila.

"Put us in orbit," I ordered, "then do a complete sensor sweep of the surface."

"There's a ship down there," Lila said, "right next to a small settlement."

"Anyone answering our hail?" I asked.

"No," said Lila. "And the signal stopped too."

It didn't look good.

"I'll put us down as close as I can without them seeing or hearing us," I said, taking over the controls.

With hand weapons, just in case, Lila and I moved curiously forward towards the settlement. The first thing we saw was a dead body.

"Shit," said Lila. "Looks like a miner."

"Yep," I said turning the body over with my foot.

The phaser burn was there for all to see.

"What's going on here?" I asked mostly to myself.

"Looks like this small settlement been taken over by the ships crew," offered Lila.

"Pirates you mean?" I asked

"Yeah could be," offered Lila. "Make a great base of operations here just off the flight path from Sol."

Just then a loud wail went up followed by a scream.

"Shit we must do something," snapped Lila.

As we watched a figure ran out of one of the huts only to be cut down by a phaser blast.

"Lets go," I said.

With my years in the war and Lila's background we made a formidable team.

"Who the fuck?" shout a voice only to be taken down by Lila hand weapon.

"How many do you think there are?" whispered Lila.

"That ship," I said nodding towards the parked spaceship. "Can only take four or perhaps five maximum."

"So I would leave a couple on guard in the ship, so that leaves two of three here," mused Lila. "With one down there's only one or two left. Hardly seems sporting."

"Ok, lets start at the first hut and move down the row," I suggested.

"Hey you," a rough male voice shouted.

Lila look over her shoulder at me and I could swear she winked. A phaser flashed out and Lila just swayed out of its way then her gun fired back; her attacker was instantly missing his face. This was the first time I'd seen her in action close up like this and she was just awesome.

"As I said," she laughed. "Not very sporting."

We found no one else alive, many bodies of the miners but no more pirates.

"So just the ones on the ship then?" sighed Lila.

"That could be a problem," I observed studying the open ground all round the parked ship.

"What sort a ship is that anyway?" she asked.

"It's a cargo tug," I said studying its lines. "Short haul only but with big powerful engines."

"Should make us a few credits then," she said with a laugh.

"We have to capture it first," I said.

"No problem," she said. "Just watch."

She handed me her phase pistol then open mouthed I watched her strip off her leggings and then she opened her top to expose most of her breasts.

"Now who could resist this," she said getting up and walking unarmed slowly towards the parked ship.

"Guys," she shouted and waved. "Can anybody help me?"

It was like lambs to the slaughter, they tumbled out of both airlocks to get at this vision of loveliness only to have their necks twisted. She didn't look it but I knew how strong she really was. She now disappeared inside the ship so I got up and followed her.