A Starship Called Starsong

Chapter 44

His quiet words struck a chord inside me and resonated with the truth of his statement.

He continued speaking, "They are always nervous when they say my name, whereas I clearly recall when you snuck into the Bridge to remove a certain fuse."

I responded truthfully, 'I was shaking in my boots at that point, and you know it...'

"True, but you had no reason to think that I wouldn't harm you. Most of your fear dissipated quickly enough, but the others never really stopped being scared of me, even though I have only assisted them."

I closed my eyes. I felt sorry for him; he had helped all of us, and while everyone seemed to love their jobs, most avoided speaking with Starsong. Whether it was out of fear, confusion about what the AI might even want to talk about, or a reluctance to disturb him with idle chit chat, in the end, they rarely – if ever – spoke to him.

In my role as Captain, I completely relied on Starsong. I wouldn't make it one day without him. Now that I thought about it, I spoke to him a fair bit about other things as well. Sometimes I did it to relieve my boredom, but sometimes just to talk with someone. They are uneasy speaking with him, and I never shut up...

"I welcome the conversation, so never think that it may bore or annoy me."

I resisted the faint urge to laugh. 'Conversation may be one thing, but you eavesdrop on my very thoughts. I fail to see how my thoughts don't annoy you. Sometimes they even annoy me!'

Amusement colored his words. "As I said before, I find your thoughts entertaining. You should admit it, you aren't even overly bothered by the fact that I can hear your thoughts."

He was right once again and could probably detect my awareness of that detail. At this point, it was just another method of talking since he didn't ever respond to things that he knew were just internal ramblings, unless they had relevance to the ship and my responsibilities. And in those occurrences, he brought more facts forward to clarify and assist.

His voice went quiet again, "I've apologized several times for almost killing you that first day, but do you forgive me?"

My mind stilled at that question. Forgiveness was not always easy for me, and he had almost ended my life. Although, now that I looked back, I knew it had been the sedation gas that had knocked me out, not truly the lack of air. The gas had been responsible for the odd taste in my mouth before I blacked out.

I considered my emotions as I searched my own heart. The answer was clear though. He had apologized and tried to make up for it in various ways. It hadn't been easy for me to get over that speed bump, but I was past it. That event was old news already, and it no longer hindered our friendship.

I answered, 'Yes.'

I could feel his relief and acceptance of my forgiveness through the mindlink. It was a bizarre sensation, but it rendered words unnecessary.

"Thank you, but I think it would be best if we postponed this discussion until later. The other Captain will be expecting you shortly."

I opened my eyes as I came back to the present. Ronan was still waiting patiently, although he looked a bit confused and curious, unsure of exactly what Starsong had told me that took so long. I lowered my hand from my ear, "Sorry about that. I didn't expect it to take that long."

"No problem."

I turned towards the access door. "Ready to face the music?"

"I have a dozen weapons, my shields are ready, and my earpiece is in place if Starsong needs to inform me of anything."

I glanced back at him in shock. "How does that relate to music?!"

And on second thought, where is he hiding those weapons? I see his Guide and some funky wristband that is likely a weapon, but other than that, he appears unarmed.

"His weapons are quite specialized. They are as subtle and as easily overlooked as your communication device. Just like with most types of Starship technology, they are undetectable by normal means."

Ronan was unaware of Starsong's comment and shrugged. "I always listen to music during practice. I also try to prepare for the unexpected so that I am equipped for anything that may occur."

I examined him as we went towards the access door, but the Guide and wristband were still the only things I could see that might be potential possibilities for a weapon. "Do I even want to know how powerful those weapons are?"

He considered it for a moment before replying, "I am actually not sure of their limits yet, but Starsong said that they beat whatever offensive capabilities your Guide has."

I winced. "Don't let the wrong people get their hands on them then..."

His thoughtful expression turned more grim and serious. "Starsong assured me that I am the only one who can use these weapons, apart from himself. Anyone who tries to take one apart or use it on any crew member will likely not live to tell the tale."

I shook my head slightly. "I seriously hope that we will never have to deal with such a situation."

He nodded in agreement as the access door opened to let us pass into the outside air.