“Thank you Shamus,” Captain Valance said, raising his glass.
“Ship's in mournin'. People are settlin' in where they're told. Most of the people aboard lost someone on Enreega.” Frost produced two big two litre bottles and put them down on the bar. He reached for the second glass beside Jake's and the Captain put his hand on it.
“That one's taken,” He said, putting it beside the pile of Jonas' possessions.
“Ah, so it is.”
The lift door opened to admit Ashley, who had her arm around Alice's shoulders. “Someone needed to see you Captain,” She said as she guided Alice to sit beside Jake.
He put his arm around her. She laid her head on his shoulder and sighed. It was so natural to accept Alice, so easy after thinking her his daughter for years that he set all the questions that had built up aside. There would be another time.
No one knew what to say as Ashley took a seat beside Stephanie. Frost filled the air with the sounds of him washing out glasses with a small water hose and lining them up atop the bar until there were four. “Well, look here, I think this drawer here's supposed to wash things up.” He said as he opened a small compartment behind the bar.
Ashley smiled at him and shrugged. “At least you know the water works.”
“Aye, care to try some of this Gogama Brew with me? There's about twenty four bottles down here.”
“Sure.”
He poured three glasses of the thick porter, raising a head an inch thick. “Not materialized stuff, that's for sure. I think this'll be a wee bit bitter.”
Stephanie tried it first and nodded. “I wouldn't say bitter, but strong.”
Ashley sipped it and cringed. “Tastes like I'm drinking old tree sap.”
“Well, if you're not going to drink it, I'll take your glass,” he said as he reached for it.
“Oh, no you don't. There's always a chance I'll like it by the time I see the bottom of the glass.”
“Well, if not then there's more for me.”
Quiet settled over the group for a few more minutes, each one wrapped in their own thoughts. Frost offered Alice a glass and she quietly shook her head. Her hand was resting on Jonas's long coat. She had just made it for him before they arrived on the Triton, he hadn't even finished equipping it with tools.
Jake ran his hand up and down her back. She had left her flight jacket somewhere, probably in his ready quarters. At the moment there was nothing he wanted to do more than take care of her. When she had first come through the lift into the bar room he had immediately felt selfish. He couldn't believe he had just left her alone up there so he could go off and pity himself elsewhere. Everything Stephanie said was right. These people want to fight. Give them time to rest and regain strength and it would take a smallest spark to start a rebellion that would go down in history. They're not in this for the money. He thought to himself.
Stephanie broke everyone out of their thoughts when she sat up straight and said; “I quit.”
Everyone looked at her, even Alice and Jake looked surprised.
“What's that?” Frost asked, more surprised than anyone else. He actually looked hurt.
“I won't be your first officer,” she said to her glass. “I'm just not qualified, it would take years.”
“Do you really think this is the time?” Ashley asked quietly with a nudge.
“It's as good a time as any. I'm not leaving the ship or crew, I just don't want the job.”
“Well what do you want to do, lass?” Frost asked, still reeling.
Captain Valance just looked at her, Alice was leaning forward so she could see around him.
Stephanie took a drink and went on; “I felt completely out of place unless I was doing security today. Every time I looked at anything other than deck layouts in the computer my head started spinning. It felt like I had eight years of school ahead of me before I could even start working with anything else. I want security. That's what I want to do,” she didn't look at anything but the glass in front of her for the entire time she spoke, and when she was finished she took another long drink.
Attention shifted to the Captain, and for a while he just sat there looking at her. “Anyone else thinking about their careers?” he asked finally.
“Flying this ship is like swimming in a calm ocean. She moves like nothing I've seen, don't take her helm away from me Captain,” Ashley pleaded with a smile. “We're just getting to know each other.”
“I got a look at that gunnery deck before comin' down. My grandfather would be in tears at the sight of it and I have to admit I shed one of my own. Put me in the middle o' those guns. If I never see that bridge tactical display again it'll be too soon.”
The door opened and Liam took a seat at the end of the bar with a woman and another fellow. He was wearing his long robes, but didn't say anything by way of introduction.
Captain Valance looked to Alice, his face close to hers, and squeezed her to him gently. “What would you like?” He asked quietly. Everyone's attention was on her.
She looked tired, it was plain that she had been crying. Alice just stared at him for a while. “A home. I've been moving for year and I'd do anything to call this ship home,” came the whisper at long last.
“Done,” Captain Valance said to her. He looked down the bar towards everyone else and said; “Done. As of tomorrow morning you're the Gunnery Chief,” he pointed to Frost, “you're my Chief of Security,” he pointed to Stephanie, “you're my lead pilot,” he pointed to Ashley, “and you, if you'll have us, will be my Chief Engineer.” He looked back to Alice and kissed her on the forehead. “And you have a home along with a father if you'll have me,” He whispered against her forehead.
Alice wrapped her arms around him and squeezed. “You have no idea what you're getting yourself into,” she whispered back through brimming tears.
Everyone else gathered at the bar overheard, and laughter came easily.
“Have a little beer with us father?” Frost asked as he poured a healthy glass of dark porter.
“Oh, I'm no holy man. Though I have been blessed from time to time,” Liam said as he accepted the glass. “Not the best stuff on Earth, but much better than what they call beer between the stars,” he commented as he held it up.
Alice cleared her throat and sat up straight. Stephanie handed her a napkin from a pile near her and she wiped her nose and eyes. “Can I try a glass?”sShe asked Frost as he poured one out for everyone at the bar except for Captain Valance, who was refilling his glass with scotch.
“Now that stuff is a little more top shelf,” Liam commented as he saw the Captain put the bottle down. “How many glasses have you had?”
“I'm not sure, the bottle was full when we started it.”
“Most people would be on the floor right about now.”
“I have an unfair advantage,” Captain Valance said, toasting the man several seats down. “So, how about signing on permanently as the Triton's Chief Engineer? I heard you saying you liked what you saw down there earlier.”
“Well, let's see,” he looked to the pair he had brought with him, they smiled back, in expectation of his answer. “ Triton. He was a Greek God who was best known for his conch horn. The Myths say that the sound was so powerful it could send the giants fleeing in fear. He could raise or calm the waves of the oceans and summon the Gods. I like the name, her Captain has managed to, with the help of his crew and a lot of people he managed to pull to his side, calm a ship filled with panicking refugees and abandoned passages in the space of a day.”
The deck crew started coming through the far doorway, followed by Angelo and Paula shortly after.
Liam went on. “I'd say that the ship, though improperly used for decades, is steady, well made and has more years ahead than behind. The only thing left to ask after is her purpose,” he said loudly enough to catch the attention of most of the people entering. The place was filling up quickly, rumours of a lounge being open had spread like a wildfire.