Chapter 20

I wasn't expecting Rachelle's ship to be still in dock but I was happy to see that it was. Also there was one of the newest navy scout ship docked next to it.

"Commander," said Commodore Briggs.

"Commodore, what brings you out here?" I asked.

"Just passing by old chap," he said with a smile.

"Commodore's don't just pass by," I said.

"Ok, ok, I've come to see you and drink your coffee," he chuckled. "Got a few things to talk about that I didn't want broadcast over the network."

"The treasure ship is still here," I said nodding over at Rachelle's vessel.

"Yeah, there're having stronger shielding fitted, supplied by the Navy," he explained. "That encounter with your pirates put the wind up head office and they have bought some military shielding components. There're being fitted now."

"So what do you want to talk about?" I asked.

"Your crew about?" he asked.

"No, gone shopping." I said.

"That disk you got for me, well my code breakers cracked it and it was all that we hoped it would be and more," he said taking a long sip from his coffee. "This is the best damm coffee this side of Navy headquarters. Anyway come D-day we had everything ready and we rolled them up like a carpet. Never knew what hit them. Their arms dumps, their safe houses, even got their leader trying to make his getaway. No trial for him for he foolishly tried to make a fight of it."

"So it's over then?" I said with a long sigh.

"Yep, no civil war in that system for a while at least," he said.

"Oh by the way I've got a disk here of information to add to the star charts," I said finding the disk I had downloaded earlier.

"Good, good," he said.

"Any idea who those latest pirates were?" I asked.

"No none," he said. "This part of space has been quiet for some time."

"I have downloaded our sensor log," I said. "Perhaps your experts can glean something from them."

"Let's hope so," he said, but he didn't sound hopeful.

"So what now?" I asked.

"I want you to hang around for a bit, see what pops," he said. "Go and take a look at the system you found, see what's there."

"Ok, sounds like a holiday trip," I said with a smile.

"Well I've got to run," he said getting up and taking my hand. "Good work Commander."

"Hi girls," I said as I heard them enter.

"Captain," said a familiar voice.

"We found her in the Beauty Salon," explained Candy.

"If there are three girls in the galaxy that doesn't need a beauty salon then you three are it," I said. "How long are you here for?"

"We are fitting the enlarged shield boosters now," she explained. "A couple more days then a few more for trials then we be shoving off."

"It is nice to see you," I said taking her in my arms.

"That's the last we're going to get," hissed Candy to Erin.

"What's that," I said.

"I just said that she 's going to get it," said Candy with a big smile.

"I have work to do," said Rachelle. "But I can visit when I'm off duty."

I pressed the button for a new mug of coffee and went back to the main cabin and watched. The three girls were beautifully naked, their limbs entwined with each other. Life doesn't get any better than this. Rachelle disentangled herself and came into my arms.

"Surely you are rested by now?" she said with a leering smile.

"What did I tell you," Candy whispered loud enough for me to hear. "When she's around nobody gets any but her."

"Captain something coming up fast," said Erin in a slight panic. "And I do mean fast."

We had just passed the asteroid field, heading for the system beyond. Going at a fair clip ourselves at warp five. Something very small and very fast flashed passed us.

"I hate to guess at what speed he's doing," said Erin, but if I was had to I would say in excess of warp 10."

"That's impossible," I said. "Space can't distort fast enough to go at those speeds."

"That's what I've always heard too," she admitted. "Eleven point four is what the computer has calculated. Hold on he's coming back."

"Come to a full stop," I ordered.

We waited for our traveller to identify himself.

"What's going on?" said a tired and ruffled looking Candy who had just emerged from her room.

"A warp eleven ship just passed us," explained Erin.

"That's not possible," said a sleepy Candy.

"That's what I said," I said. "Hello here he is."

Coming to a full stop a few klicks away was our fast traveller.

"Does that ship look familiar?" I asked.

"No, not really," said Erin. "Unless, it does look a bit like one of those pirate's fighters."

"Yeah it does a little," I mused. "But they couldn't do warp eleven. Anything on the radio?"

"No, just hiss," said Erin.

"Ok, open a channel, lets see what he wants," I ordered.

"Hello, this is Starlight 299 on a voyage of discovery," I said.

"Still nothing," said Erin. "Hold on he's trying to scan us."

"Is he?" I mused. "Ok, drop shields."

"Captain you can't," said Erin. "What if."

"What if he shots us," I finished for her. "It's a chance we are going to have to take. Drop shields."

"He scanning us now," whispered Erin.

"Ok, hold tight," I encouraged.

"He's got into the computer now," wailed Erin. "Captain please."

She was only just holding it together.

"Erin it's fine," said a cool Candy, who placed her hand on Erin's shoulder.

"May I dock?" said a less than male voice.

"Please do and welcome," I replied. "Candy gets some clothes on."

She was human but only just. Her long hair was pure white and her emerald eyes slightly bigger than normal. The rest seemed normal enough under her tight jump suit.

"Welcome aboard," I welcomed our guest. "I'm Captain Todd and this is my crew, Candy and Erin."

"Thank you for inviting me Captain," she said with a heavy accent. "I'm Tasha, and that is my home world."

She pointed out of the cockpit window to the system still far away.

"From your data system I see you had a encounter with some friends of mine," she said.

"Friends?" I queried.

"Acquaintances then," she corrected. "I hope they didn't cause you too much trouble?"

"They attacked a freighter," I said.

"Yes I'm sorry about that," she said but she looked more embarrass than sorry.

"I'm sorry to have to say that they are all dead," I said.

"Yes I thought as much," she said. "I had been searching for them but when I couldn't find any trace."

She left the sentence hanging. Her accent was also improving with her usage of the language.

"You are some sort of police force then?" I asked.

"Yes I suppose I am," she said with a chuckle. "We have very few laws but we are not allowed to interfere with other people's lives, domestic or outsiders."

"Your ship is fast?" asked Candy.

"Yes," she said.

"How fast?" she asked in her own subtle way.

"You are the engineer?" she said to Candy.

"Yes," she replied.

"May I see your engines?" she asked.

Candy look towards me for guidance, so I nodded. Any ship that can do warp eleven is not going to learn any secrets from our engines.

"These are lovely engines," Tasha said making Candy beam with pride. "Warp five?"

"Better than that," said Candy. "And your ship?"

"Top speed is warp twelve," she admitted.

"But that's not possible," said Candy.

"So was warp speed a hundred or so years ago," Tasha countered.

"Warp twelve," muttered Candy.

"Have you ever thought of realigning the linear flow of the anti matter stream?" said Tasha.