The Girl in the Tank: Galactic Consortium, Season 1

Episode One: Attack! Part 6

Bakala pulled out a flat rectangle that reminded Dan of a tablet computer. Indeed at a touch the device lit up. However, instead of holding it up and looking at the screen, it projected a holographic image in front of them.

"Dan Oleson," Speckman supplied.

Dan's image, his face red and blotchy, appeared in front of them.

"I've got you in 302, forward, with some of your crew," Bakala said, "if that's okay."

"Of course, where ever is fine."

"And you can tell the system to update your picture when you don't have that burn," he joked. "We'll get you a slate tomorrow." He shut down the rectangular object and gestured at it to show what a slate was. "I ran out quick. When we outfitted for this expedition we never thought we would encounter an entire planet that didn't already have them. For tonight, let me show you to your quarters."

"If you need some cream to soothe your skin," Kavi said, touching his arm again, "healer bay 17, just ask for Kavi."

"I'll send word when the captain wants to hold his next staff meeting, until then you are dismissed from duty, sir," Speckman said, snapping a salute.

Dan returned the salute.

"I guess I am dismissed from duty for the moment as well," Speckman added. "Think I'll go see what those boys found over in the kitchen area. Maybe some cool space food."

Out in the hallway again, Bakala shoulder bumped Dan. "I think that Kavi wants to put some lotion on you, man," he said with a laugh.

Dan laughed, too. The situation made him uncomfortable but having it out in the open made it less so. "Yeah, I kind of noticed." They turned right and went down the hall for a long way. Other passageways branched off here and there.

An overhead page spoke in Consortium and then English, "Secure in ten, repeat, secure in ten."

Dan looked at Bakala. "Don't worry, we've plenty of time. That's mostly for the equipment crew." To Dan's continued blank look he added, "We need to secure everything in the next ten minutes, so we can get off planet side."

"Are we still at the ship?" Dan asked.

"No, we've been cruising low and soft, out of the hot zone for several minutes now. As soon as the more severely injured and equipment is secured we will start to rise more sharply, a couple of g most like."

"Cruising? Damn, I didn't even know we were moving."

"Barely," Bakala said. "But yeah, we've good pilots, let me tell you. Good healers, too. Hell, it's just a great ship. I am honored to serve aboard her."

Dan smiled, "you call ships 'her' too?"

"Yeah, why not?"

Dan just shrugged.

"Don't worry about Kavi none, if you want, fine, you don't want, fine. Six weeks without docking? I am sure lots of people will be thinking about some companionship to pass the time. Maybe not as quick as her, but all the same."

After another couple minutes Bakala announced, "forward crew compartment." They passed through a double set of doors into another set of hallways. "You guys are hullside, got lucky too, port window. Well, I suppose it depends on our orbit, you might have a view of nothing."

He stopped towards the end of the passage way. There were doors up and down both sides of the hall, each with a set of symbols on them. If it weren't for the terra cotta colored walls and the oblong shape of the doors, Dan could almost imagine he was in a hotel somewhere on Earth.