For several long seconds, everyone was silent, as each thought about their options. Finally, Nathan spoke. “All right,” he started in a low and calm voice. “Everyone needs to just relax, and take a deep breath.” Nathan looked at Jessica. “Tell me what’s wrong, Jess?”
“The little rebel princess here needs to stop blabbin’ about things that aren’t her business,” Jessica explained.
“Okay, that makes sense, I guess.”
“I apologize if I misspoke, Captain,” Jalea said.
“Apology accepted,” Nathan responded, holding up his hand to signal Jalea that it was not a good time for her to speak. “Now, how about we all just lower our weapons, and talk this out like civilized adults, okay?” Nathan looked at Jessica. “Is that okay with you, Jess?”
“I will if she will,” Jessica said.
Nathan looked at Tug. “Will she, Tug?”
Tug looked to his wife, nodding for her to comply. She began to slowly lower her weapon, switching it off as it came down. Jessica heard the sound of Ranni’s weapon charge winding down and began lowering her own weapon as well. Once her weapon was back in its holster under her cloak, Tug spoke up.
“I think I should tell you something, Captain. I am holding a weapon under the table, which I will now place on the table for all to see.” Tug moved his hand slowly, revealing a small energy weapon that he held between his thumb and forefinger, dangling it in a position that was as non-threatening as possible. He placed the weapon on the table in front of him. “In the interests of good will,” he said with a smile. “I apologize, Captain. But we live far from the city, and we do not know you or your people very well.”
“No problem,” Nathan promised. “I understand your precautions. Now, shall we all sit and resume our discussion?” Nathan began to sit down, Jessica following his lead.
“Stand down,” Jessica announced over her comm-set. Nathan looked quizzically at Jessica, whose eyes glanced over at the window behind Tug. Outside the window, standing on the dark front porch was Vladimir. In his right hand he held his close-quarters weapon and had it pointed through the window at Tug and his wife. In his left hand was his handgun, which was raised and trained on someone Nathan could not see. He could only assume it was Danik. Vladimir winked at them as he lowered his weapons. The sight was a little unnerving to Nathan, as until now he had never seen his friend and cabin-mate as anything but a gregarious, fun-loving guy who was great at keeping their ship running. After shaking the sight off, Nathan looked back at Jessica.
“Oops,” she said sheepishly. “Must’ve left my mic open.”
“Captain,” Tug began. “Perhaps it would be best if we were just honest with each other. This dancing around, trying to gain a superior position is getting tiresome. Do you not agree?”
“Yes, I do,” Nathan admitted.
“Nathan,” Jessica started, “if you’re going-”
“Don’t make me pull rank on you, Jess,” he warned. Nathan looked at her sternly, before turning back to face Tug. “Yes, Tug, we are from Earth. But we’re here by accident. We were testing an experimental faster-than-light propulsion system that we call a jump drive. With this, we can jump as far as ten light years, in the blink of an eye.”
Tug looked at him in disbelief. “But Captain, Earth is much farther than-”
“Yes, it is. A lot farther. But something happened. We were attacked by some Jung ships, and there was an anti-matter explosion just as we jumped away. To make a long story short, we ended up in the Pentaurus cluster. And from what we’ve learned so far, it appears we jumped right into the middle of the rebellion’s last stand.”
Tug looked at Nathan, his mouth agape. He looked at Jalea next, hoping for some indication that it was all a joke. “It was you,” Tug whispered to himself. “We heard that someone had intervened, allowing a few to escape capture. That was you?” He looked at Jalea again, who nodded. “Oh, Captain, you are definitely in danger. The rumors are that a mysterious ship simply appeared in the middle of the battle, destroyed a Ta’Akar capital ship, and then simply vanished. There is surely a bounty on your ship by now. Every half-witted criminal with delusions of grandeur will be looking for you. And you’re sitting right in the middle of the biggest collection of ne’er-do-wells the galaxy has ever seen.”
“Great,” Jessica said. “We’re in it up to our eyeballs, yet again.”
“Well at least we know about it now,” Nathan added.
“Captain,” Tug added, leaning forward once again. “Did any of the Ta’Akar ships see you jump away?”
“Yeah,” Nathan said, looking at Jessica, unsure of the number. “At least one, maybe two. I’m not sure.”
“Jalea is correct. If they have realized you have the ability to jump between the stars, they will stop at nothing to obtain this technology.” Tug could see by the look in Nathan’s eyes that he did not see the seriousness of the situation. “You said you were hit by an anti-matter explosion just as you jumped?”
“Yes.”
“And that it propelled you much farther than you thought possible?”
“That’s the working theory, so I’m told.”
“When the Ta’Akar figure this all out, they will want to combine your jump drive with their new power source. With that combination, they will become an unstoppable power.” Tug shook his head in disbelief. “You must destroy it, Captain.”
“Destroy what?”
“The jump drive!”
“Are you nuts?” Nathan cried, suddenly standing. “That’s our only way of getting home.”
“It’s the only way to be sure-”
“You don’t understand,” Nathan interrupted. “It’s one of a kind. There are no others back on Earth. There’s not even a record of it. That drive is the only hope my world has of repelling an invasion.”
Tug looked Nathan squarely in the eyes. “If the Ta’Akar capture your jump drive, Captain, these Jung you speak of will be the least of your problems.”
The front door of Tug’s home swung open wildly as Nathan burst out onto the front porch, stumbling down the steps. Jessica came running out of the house right behind him, with Jalea and Tug close on her heels.
“Nathan! Where are you going?” Jessica yelled.
“We’ve gotta get back to the ship!” Nathan muttered as he walked out into the amber twilight. “We’ve gotta get outta here, now!” He suddenly realized he was headed nowhere and stopped dead in his tracks. His mind was spinning. He had to clear his head. He needed to be able to think more clearly. His people, his ship, and his world were all in danger, and he had to do… something.
Nathan spun around to face the others. “Jalea, call Tobin and tell him to pick us up.”
“Of course,” she responded.
“Jess, round everyone up. It’s time to go.”
Jessica looked around. They were all standing right there, even Vladimir and Danik who had heard the commotion and come back from the far end of the compound.
“Good, you’re all here,” Nathan said, as he saw Vladimir and Danik approach.
“Tobin is not answering,” Jalea informed him.
“It’s just as well, Captain,” Tug assured him. “A ship coming out here at this late hour would surely raise suspicion.”
“Okay,” Nathan said, thinking of another plan. “A ride, then. Can you give us a ride back to town?”
“To what end?”
“We can meet Tobin there, at the spaceport.” Nathan was beginning to sound desperate.
“And if he is not there?” Jalea asked.
“We can wait for him,” Nathan said.
“It would be safer for you to wait here, Captain,” Tug assured him. “Away from the very types that would hand you over to the Ta’Akar for the reward.”
“Jalea?” Nathan pleaded. “Anything?”
“He is not answering, I’m afraid.”
“Jess, raise the ship,” Nathan ordered, becoming slightly more rational. “Tell them what’s going on, and see if they can raise Tobin on the comms.”