In A Starship's Wake

Chapter 41: A Time To Keep Silent

"The only times I've heard him reference PICTA since he talked to Peter were about Peter's comments on the asteroid mines." Justine slumped back in her seat, looking at the ceiling. "I think he's involved, and won't tell us to keep from worrying us. You're right though, usually he has to talk about what's on his mind."

"Lately everything he's talked about is related to the ore hauler and our business," Tyrone said. "He's moved his focus mainly to that, and there's plenty to occupy his mind. Purchases for the ship, and all the weapons and equipment that have to come separately, hiring the crew and coordinating everything. Maybe he's just doing a better job of hiding it than normal, but it's just as possible that he kept himself out of trouble for once."

"He spent a lot of time thinking about that after the pirates, didn't he?"

"Yes." Tyrone frowned and rubbed his chin. "Now that you mention it he hasn't talked about that lately either. He was worried his behavior would cause trouble for us or his new crew. Maybe he decided to avoid trouble from now on, and realized work for PICTA had trouble written all over it."

"Maybe. I still think he just isn't telling us. Based on our own experience so far, PICTA is fairly structured, so at least it's planned instead of him just going off half-cocked."

"It's just as likely he's not involved at all," Tyrone disagreed. "Either way, I don't think we should tell him that we are. If he is, he's not telling us, and maybe it's better that we don't know. We can't accidentally give each other away somehow. If he's not, then it will only make him worry about us more. Without the context we have, he'll magnify the danger beyond the reality."

Justine thought that over for a long time, and finally sighed. "You're right, but I still don't like hiding things from him."

"Me either."

With no more to discuss, the silence dragged out. Tyrone turned back to the console to finish the rest of the system checks. Halfway through a test of the life support system, an idea struck him. He checked the door to make sure it was still closed before he spoke.

"We could try to push him a bit. Talk about how the ore hauler will operate, what he does with it, and the dangers he expects to face. I only know that loosely, I've let him deal with that. If he tells us he's helping PICTA, we tell him we are too. Otherwise, whether he is or isn't, we don't tell him and we let it lie."

"Alright." Relief colored Justine's voice. "I guess that's a better way to handle it. None of us will worry about the others more than we would already."

"Now we just need a chance to talk to him." Tyrone returned to the system checks and considered when they could find an opening. Joseph hadn't had time for much of anything lately.

As it turned out, he needn't have worried about it. Later that evening they found Joseph in a living room armchair with a book, somewhere he hadn't been very often on this trip. They sat on the couch and occupied themselves with their own pastimes for a bit, so it wouldn't seem that they'd come just to interrogate him.

Eventually Tyrone started the conversation. "You haven't been in here much lately Joseph. Is everything ready with the new ship now? That's kept you busy for most of the trip."

"Pretty much everything." He glanced up only momentarily to answer. "Everything but the name. I'm hoping a little reading will bring me inspiration."

"You want to write a new book of the Bible?" Justine joked. "I don't think it really needs any additions." All three laughed.

"Not that kind of inspiration," Joseph corrected.

"What kind of danger are you expecting out in the fringe systems?" Tyrone asked. "I looked at the weapon selection you picked out, but I never asked about the logic behind it."