Return to Freecloud

Posted on Sat Dec 31st, 2022 @ 2:23pm by Xavier X-1

846 words; about a 4 minute read

Mission: Mission One: Goodwill Tour [Part One]
Location: SS Strider
Timeline: MD2: 0600 hours

Jack had been up for hours now. “Let’s go!” he shouted, pointing to the aft thruster. “This was supposed to be fixed yesterday!” He had a headache and a need to get the Kaplan freighter off the flight deck as soon as possible.

The alien clinging to the thruster pulled out a chunk of something that looked like it might have been alive. Probably an avian that accidentally made its way in there. It sounded like jibberish but the translator told Jack it would be twenty more minutes.

Xavier looked over at the human whom he could tell was frustrated. "So, what do we do for the next forty minutes, because I'm pretty sure he was stretching the truth a bit."

“I suppose we wait. This relationship the Fenris Rangers, Starfleet, and the Romulans are enjoying can’t be upset. I wouldn’t dare steak from any of this planet’s cargo bays. Do you have any suggestions,” Jack asked. They were already going to be an hour behind, nothing pushing the Kaplan class freighter a little faster couldn’t make up.

"You could teach me how to play poker."

“You’re asking the wrong guy, kid. Jack still owes me money from the last time we played poker,” a voice sounded behind Xavier.

When Jack looked up his eyes narrowed. “Stone…as I recall, you owe me for the last job I did. That was double what I owed you for playing a bad hand.”

“Bad hand?” Randolph Stone asked with amusement. “You didn’t even have a pair. Not one single pair. So who’s the new guy, Jack? He looks kinda skinny for our type of work.”

Jack lost all amusement now. “Xavier, this is Randolph Stone. He used to be an old friend. Now he’s just a sad, lonely, broke man without a ship. Go ahead and show him your grip, just don’t break any bones, huh?”

A slow grin spread across the android's face. He reached out his hand with an air of tentativeness. When he took hold of Stone's hand it was far from gentle, but it wasn't tight enough to break any bones, though it would be uncomfortable.

"Appearances can be deceiving can they not Mr. Stone?"

Randolph pulled back his hand as if it had been bitten by a snake. Without warning, Randolph spit right in Xavier’s face. “Fucking Synth piece of shit.” Looking at Jack, he added, “I thought you were better than this, Jack. One of these pieces of shit killed my sister on Mars.”

Now it was Xavier's turn to lose the amused expression on his face. Wiping the spittle off of his face, he looked directly into Randolph's face. "I'm an android, not a synth. I'm intelligent and can think for myself. I'm more than my programming."

"I'm sorry for your loss, I truly am, but I was created for protection, not destruction. Appearances are deceiving, you have judged me based on your assumptions not on knowing or trying to know me."

“I need a ride to Freecloud, Jack. I’ll pay you when we arrive, along with your back pay. I have vast amounts of currency placed there and I can transfer it directly into your account once we are on planet. Then we part ways. I don’t like the company you’re keeping.”

“I can take you there, but only if you apologize to Xavier.”

Randolph turned and begrudgingly said, “I’m sorry.” He clearly didn’t mean it.

The android wasn't fully restored and didn't have all of his faculties yet. Nevertheless, even he realized the insincerity of Randolph's words. He could have pointed this out to the biologic but didn't. "We'll see if I can earn your trust someday."

“We don’t give a shit about his trust, Xavier,” Jack responded. “Just that he pays in latinum. Three-quarters of it up front and the rest when we get there.”

“That’s pretty steep, Jack,” Randolph answered back.

“It’s for shitheads that don’t pay me what’s due and treat my friends disrespectfully. You’ll remain in your quarters the entire trip, like a good passenger.”

“Fine,” Randolph shot back, giving Xavier a dirty look.

Xavier was tempted to make a smartass remark, but decided that while it would have been fun, it would have likely caused more problems and he didn't need any of those at the moment.

The engineer approached them meekly after watching their interactions. “Your engines are cleared, sir. Um, payment is due.”

Jack look at Randolph. “It’s on him. He seems to have come into a lot of money.”

Randolph scowled but pressed his thumb on the pay PaDD. Jack held out his own PaDD. The sim would keep them in business for weeks. Randolph thumbed that too.

Jack looked at Xavier and Randolph. “Load up. We’ve got a schedule to keep and we’re already behind. Let’s get moving…” Jack winked at the android. He would keep Xavier safe on the short trip to Freecloud.

 

RSS Feed