Chapter 17

I awoke in a deep sweat form my nightmare. The ship, my ship was heading straight into a star and the controls were frozen and there was nothing I could do about.

"You ok Captain?" asked a worried Candy.

"Yeah, yeah, just a bad dream," I said settling back.

The ship was safely docked at Starbase 12 waiting for some spare parts to be shipped to us.

"I don't like it," whispered Candy. "It's too quiet."

In truth neither did I. After Lila had left, the ship seemed even more empty

"Will she come back?" asked Candy.

I knew she was talking about Lila and not Rachelle. No Rachelle was gone for good to a new ship and a First Office birth.

"Yes," I said more in hope than anything else.

I pulled Candy's head onto my shoulder and I hugged her. We could have carried on, on one engine but Candy wouldn't have it so we pulled into space dock. Nothing we carried would spoil so there was no hurry.

Candy was happily whistling tunelessly as she fitted the new part in the fuel pump. I sometimes think she deliberately makes her engines go wrong so she can have the pleasure of fixing them.

"Twelve hours until the sealing compound dries," she said. "What shall we do until then?"

"Get off with you," I attempted a slap but she danced out of the way. "Go and have a shower."

As we were plumbed into the space dock we had water to spare so we took all the showers we could. Still naked and damp from her shower she came into my arms.

"Can we get another crew member," she whispered as my hands moved over her perfect skin.

"We'll see," I grunted for I had other things on my mind.

"Yes sorry," she said and noting my urgency she spread her slim legs wide.

If Candy ever left me I don't know what I would do. Ok I could always get another chief engineer but not one so perfect as she.

"I'm picking up long range scanners," shouted Candy just a tad excitedly.

"Where?" I asked.

"From astern," she said.

"Man the rear turret," I ordered.

We waited for some thirty minutes before this small ship came flashing by us.

"What was that?" I asked.

"Something small and very fast," said Candy.

"Still getting pulses from astern," she announced.

"Some ones getting pursued," I said to myself.

"Hove to and prepare to be boarded," said the lead ship of two.

"Not in this lifetime mate," I replied.

"We are the official representative of Saxos," he said. "We believe you have aided and abetted a fugitive."

"Some one just flew by us," I explained.

He answer was a phaser blast.

"Shit," said Candy quietly from her turret. "He targeted out engines Captain."

"We will destroy you if you don't hove to," he said.

"Have you got a shot?" I asked.

"Yes Captain on both ships," she replied.

"You have no jurisdiction over me or this space," I challenged. "I'm charging weapons."

"Do it Candy," I said over the intercom.

The lights dimmed briefly as she started charging. The ship vibrated with repeated hits from both attackers.

"Charged Captain," she announced.

"One last chance to leave," I broadcast.

They didn't acknowledge they just kept firing.

"Take the shot," I ordered. "But try to just disable them."

Candy was a different person now that just a few short months ago. Now she fired without hesitation and then our ship was rocked with a big explosion.

"Ops," she whispered

"What happened?" I asked.

"L-looked like they've blown up," she stuttered.

So she wasn't quite the harden soldier then.

"The anti-matter explosion from the lead ship took out the second," she explained calmly.

"Never mind," I said softly. "They did attack up first."

"Yeah, so where's Saxos," asked Candy.

"No idea," I said. "Probably one of the systems near by. That first ship couldn't have come that far."

Candy had rejoined me in the cockpit bringing a mug of brew 27.

"Hello, more pulse from straight ahead this time," she said.

"Shit," I exploded. "Drop out of warp."

"He's drop out of warp too," she said and then there in front of us was the small ship.

"Hi," I said.

"Many thanks Captain," said a very female voice. "I'm sorry that I involved you in my problems."

"It wasn't you that involved me, it was them," I said.

"Why were they chasing you?" asked Candy.

It was a question that I had wanted to ask but was too polite to. Candy being Candy had no hesitation in asking.

"A little matter of theft and murder," was the calm reply.

"Oh," gulped Candy, who realized she may have helped a harden criminal to escape.

Somehow it didn't seem right that the voice committed these acts.

"Falsely accused?" I asked.

"Oh no Captain," she said with a laugh. "I killed the bastard, almost took a bullet myself doing it."

"And the money?" asked Candy.

"Oh yes," she laughed again. "That's what I do. I'm good at opening vaults and stealing money, but this time my loving husband wanted it all for himself and planned to put a bullet in my brain."

"Oh," gulped Candy.

"Trouble was he missed but I didn't," she said, her voice breaking up slightly.

"Would you like to come aboard for a meal and a hot drink?" invited Candy.

"Candy," I snapped.

"Captain are you sure?" she said for she must have heard me in the background. "It's true that I'm all out of food and a hot meal sounds great but I'm a wanted person."

"Yes please come aboard," I invited. But gave Candy a scowl.