The Girl in the Tank: Galactic Consortium, Season 1

Episode Five: Fraternization ch.3

"How have you been?" Dan asked the woman walking next to him. He knew her, vaguely, but he couldn't conjure up her name for a long time. Tennyson? Amanda Tennyson, that was it.

"I've been better," she replied, "you?"

He shrugged. "I know what your saying. You've been very sick?"

"I threw up for three straight days, blinding headaches, blisters and burns popping up all over. And I was in the bowels of the ship. I can't imagine what the one up top are going through." She shook her head. They came to a branch in the passageway. "I am going to down forward 2." She pointed the direction she intended.

Dan had been planning on heading back to his quarters. Then again, Fox had said something about checking out that side of the ship. "Mind if I tag along?" he said. "I haven't been."

"Of course, Oleson," she replied.

"Just Dan, we are off duty," he said.

She nodded, "Mandy then."

"Down forward? Odd name."

"Its on the lower level of the ship, down as it were. This common area is towards the front of the ship. It's also technically starboard, if you use our naming system."

"The layout of the ship starting to make sense to you?"

"Yeah, it kind of is," she said.

"I haven't gotten out much," he admitted.

"You been sick?"

"I had a couple days of being sick to my stomach and diarrhea, but like you I was deep in the bowels and we got off light. Between those tanks, the blue lights and nausea cans, I feel like I am turning the corner already."

"I hear you, if it weren't for losing my hair, I'd think the worst was over."

"That's quite a pretty scarf," he commented.

"Thank you," she said, "it was a present from Daksha."

Dan chuckled. They came to a lift and entered. She looked at him, her eyebrow arched. "Sorry," he said. He leaned in, "just between you and I, Captain Lannister and Captain Dowlings have concocted this notion that there is a black market in scarves and such things, built around iTunes and sexual favors." He watched her carefully, trying to judge her reaction.

She laughed. "Trust me, there were no favors I didn't give willingly. Two words - biotech penis." She gave another laugh and low growl.

The lift slid open. They were greeted by a cheer. Mandy headed down the hall, a very shocked Dan following behind. The common room was packed.

"Mandy," a voice called. Mandy gave Dan a nod and dashed across the lounge to where Daksha, the chief walker, was. Mandy slid into her arms and accepted a kiss from the Consortium woman.

The crowd in the lounge was mixed, mostly consortium but with a fair number of earth crew. I guess fraternization is already happening. Around the common room both crews were mingling freely, drinking Soma Achi Chai and talking. The Captain was right, the crew was treating this more like an extended shore leave then medical quarantine. But could you blame them?

What now? Dan thought.

Then a hand came down on his shoulder. "Come to see how my crew live," Bakala said. "You people have a saying, and I think mine should take it, too. Work hard, play hard. Come, let me get you a drink."

#####

Fox found Nara standing in the hallway, staring at Shayly's door. He started to greet her but she gave him a hand gesture and he stayed quiet. They watched the door together for several minutes before it slid open.

An American sailor came out. He started down the hall, spied Fox and quickly took a side passage. Nara ignored him and went to the door.

Shayly was waiting for her there, dressed in nothing but a robe.

"You're working, I see," Nara said.

"When you are good at what you do," Shayly said, flashing them as her robe accidentally  fell partway open. "Work is easy to find."

"Good at what you do, eh?"

"If you ever wish to make an appointment," Shayly answered.

"Sorry, not so much my type," Nara answered.

"I can play rough, if that's what you like," Shayly returned, her voice teasing.

"Your skill is not in question," Nara said. "But the payment method is. How is it that these men with nothing, suddenly can afford your services?"

Shayly gave Nara a long even look.

One of the healers arrived, a young woman. She blushed to find Nara and Fox there. "I, I just stopped by to see about that thing..." she stammered out.

Shayly stepped aside to let her enter. To Nara she said, "I am private economy. Payment is between me and my customer." She turned and entered the room, the door snapping shut behind her.

#####

"You said you wanted to hear as soon as I talked to her," Nara said as her and Fox walked into Captain Dowling's office. Lannister was with her, going over some reports.

"And?" Dowlings asked.

Nara scowled. "You aren't going to like it. She's definitely the source. She's letting men pay her in digital currency and then selling artifacts to our crew for Consortium exchanges."

"She admitted this?" Dowlings said.

"No, it's pretty obvious though. American crew come and go, half hour, forty minutes. Our crew come and go, much shorter times."

"And her explanation?"

"None, she insists she's private economy."

"Sukira, Su-nin," Dowlings barked and the two people indicated appeared on the video screen. Nara repeated what she had just told Dowlings.

Sukira shrugged helplessly. "I'm sorry, Ma'am. She's right. I can submit a request to legal if you'd like, but I can already tell you the results. She's a contractor, her work is private economy. Barter is accepted payment in private economy cases. Unless one of the men starts to complain, tries to initiate a suit for themselves, says they were unfairly coerced..."

Fox snorted. He found everyone looking at him. "I'm just saying, the odds that any of the men complain is small."

"She's contracted, eh?" Dowlings complained. "Well, we can cancel her contract."

"Sure, but with the quarantine, she's stuck her like the rest of us," Nara said. "And I don't think the threat will carry far. By the time we are done here, she could be sitting pretty. You think our crew is curious? What would those artifacts go for on Shin? Saras station? She'll be rich at the rate she's going."

"She's ambitious, gotta give her that," Sukira quipped.

Dowlings scowled at her. She swore. "You're probably right. Considering, she probably has no plans to stay onboard anyway, take her ill-gotten gain and move on."

"If I am to understand," Lannister said. "This woman is a prostitute? That's illegal where we come from, and very much against regulations for my men. I could have Sutton station a watch. If we catch our crew coming out, confine them to quarters, discipline them when we get home."

"Sir?" Fox said. "I am not trying to justify what they are doing sir, but I think we need to think about the morale implications. I hate to say this, but I also hate to think those sailors locked in their quarters brooding, even more."

It was Lannister's turn to swear. "Damn it, Fox, you're right. Our top priority is to keep the peace, get out of this without problems. I've already got a handful of men that barely leave their quarters and still mutter that the Consortium won't ever let us go."

"What can we do to convince them otherwise?" Dowlings asked.

"I have no idea, but ordering more men confined to quarters won't help. We might have to tolerate this, as much as I hate it."