I was laying on my couch while reading when Starsong asked, "Do you want me to let Cynthia in?"
It didn't surprise me that Cynthia decided to come find me tonight. It was getting pretty late, but she had probably guessed that I was still awake. "Sure."
The door slid open, and Cynthia just stared in at me with a dumbfounded expression. "I didn't even press the door chime yet..."
I tapped my screen to save my spot in my ebook and sat up. "Starsong knew you were coming to see me."
"Oh..."
She seemed surprised, and I wasn't sure how she kept forgetting Starsong monitored everything that happened on the ship. She shook her head to gather her scattered thoughts as she walked in. She flopped down on the chair as she looked at me, unsure of how to start.
I decided to help her break the ice. "How are you holding up?"
She slumped down in her chair as she replied, "I still feel shaken up. Nothing too bad, but I still can't fall asleep."
She could have asked for sleeping pills from the Medical Bay, but I knew such medication didn't agree with her. "Sorry. I wasn't aware that the Deviant Monitoring Group was even on this planet. It didn't occur to me that they would hold one of the crew hostage either."
She sat up straighter. "It wasn't your fault! You didn't do anything wrong, so don't blame yourself. I am just worried that someone else might try a similar tactic..."
I responded calmly, "I know it isn't my fault for them showing up. I am sorry that I wasn't more prepared. We knew someone would show up one day. Starsong and I already have some ideas for preventing something like this in the future. Tomorrow, all of the crew will be getting new communication devices that happen to have forceshields as well as some other defensive abilities."
She blinked several times in shock. "Really?"
"Yes. My communication device has had such capabilities all along. Ronan and the Officers also have special communication devices. We didn't realize that all of the crew members were also going to require such precautions."
She sagged back into the chair in stunned relief. "Wow. That will make a huge difference... Even just knowing that detail is a relief..."
She gazed at the ceiling as she absorbed that knowledge. She sighed as she relaxed and closed her eyes. I waited for her to ask about our other plans, but a soft snore told me a different story.
I smiled softly as I quietly got up to fetch a blanket. I carefully draped it over her and turned off the lights before retreating to my room. It was late, and I was usually asleep by now, so I decided to head to bed and hope that sleep would come as easily for me as it had for Cynthia.
I scratched my head sleepily as I regarded the snoring woman on my couch. I had halfway expected Cynthia to wake during the night and head back to her room, but, apparently, she had just moved to the couch instead.
I shook my head as I turned the main lights on and walked over to her. I was pretty sure I knew how to get her to rectify her oversight... I reached out and yanked the blanket off of her. "Rise and shine."
Cynthia groaned as the warm blanket disappeared, and she pulled the decorative pillow over her head to block out the light above. "It can't be morning already..."
I had already discussed this with Starsong. "Well, it is. Luckily for you, you get a half day off after our adventure yesterday, but you have to go to your room if you want to sleep."
She mumbled from beneath the pillow. "Then why aren't you sleeping in?"
"Perks of being the Captain. I still have several meetings with suppliers that I have to attend, regardless of how much I wish to skip them." It felt like a normal day for me, although I was somewhat dreading the stares and whispers I was about to get from other people when I left the ship.
"Most people only know that a spaceship was attacked by two Elite Destroyers and its Captain was kidnapped. Most don't even know if you are male or female. The docking station staff and suppliers have likely looked up your picture, but whether they will recognize you when you walk by may be a different story."
I headed into the bathroom for a quick shower. 'I seriously hope they forgot what I look like, or perhaps it won't occur to the average person that someone so young could be a Captain.'
"In this scenario, your uniform doesn't stand out, so it is a very likely possibility with anyone other than snoopy docking station staff or the more up-to-date suppliers."
That was my hope. Most people never even realized I was a Captain unless they were part of the small group of people who looked up the Captains of each ship when they docked. With thousands of people coming and going on the docking station every day, people simply couldn't examine every face that walked by, which would give me extra cover.
By the time I finished getting ready, Cynthia had disappeared from my sitting room. The first supplier I was meeting today was an early riser and had reserved a table for us at a restaurant for breakfast. It had been scheduled a week ago, and I saw no point in canceling it. It would only create unwanted rumors.
I headed straight for the main access door without stopping at the dining areas. I descended the ramp, noting that the docking station looked pretty normal as streams of people came and went. No one seemed to notice me more than they noticed anyone else. I easily went with the crowd as I headed for my destination.
'Did Ronan sleep in? I didn't see him by the access door.'
"He left earlier to scout out the area and ensure that nothing looked suspicious. He is already at the restaurant."
His level of ambition surpassed mine, but I had no interest in his line of work. He wanted nothing to do with my job either. I didn't see him, but I knew he was around.
The waitress guided me to the correct table where the supplier was already waiting for me. I sat down as I greeted him, "Good morning, I hope you weren't waiting too long."
The man replied, "Good morning. No, I just arrived."
I had arrived early, but he was earlier. I looked at the menu while making small talk with the supplier. His avoidance of the recent event with the Destroyers attacking a docked ship meant that he knew which ship I belonged to and very likely knew about my little adventure yesterday.
This menu was quite varied with the easy access to various foodstuffs from numerous planets. I wasn't too sure what half of it even was and using my Guide to make an informed choice would immediately prove that I was uneducated. 'Any suggestions?'
"The fourth option under light breakfasts is similar to a waffle topped with sweet fruits, and I believe you will enjoy it."
I opted to go with his recommendation since I couldn't even tell if some of these dishes were bread or meat based... That was the trouble with traveling from port to port steadily; every planet tended to call a certain dish by a different name, and there were different foods on different planets which only compounded the issue of trying to identify something on a menu.
The waitress came back, and we placed our order. Once she left, the supplier pulled out a small stack of papers, ready to get down to business. This supplier carried quite an inventory, but he only negotiated with Captains. And enough Captains wanted to speak with him that the option for an early breakfast appointment was common for him...
I started checking the pages as Starsong occasionally noted something for me to circle. There were enough good deals to tempt me to come back every time, and the fact that none were above market value showed this man didn't underestimate me.
I circled another line and watched the man subtly from the corner of my eye. I asked, "May I ask what rumors you have heard regarding yesterday's events?"
This man was diplomatic enough that he wouldn't have touched the subject unless I brought it up.
He responded in a decorous manner, "Unexpectedly eventful. The place is still trying to get over the shock that two Elite Destroyers attacked a docked trading ship. They are having an even harder time believing that the trading ship was undamaged and managed to incapacitate the two warships."
He tilted his head in consideration. "Somehow, mixed up in that, the trading ship's Captain was apparently kidnapped along with another crew member. Two other trading ships came in to help rescue the Captain, and word has it that they succeeded. Not much else is known though."
I nodded as I circled another line. "That matches what I have heard from other sources."
He watched me silently for a moment before observing, "I find it odd that two trading ships managed to take out not just two warships, but also the Planetary Defenses."
I looked up and responded, "Ships such as the Starsong are actually Starships. Primarily trading ships, but they are special. Very special."
He nodded, sensing that I wasn't about to elaborate on the subject. Our breakfast arrived, and mine looked far more appetizing than his did – and he had been in this port for decades, so he knew what he was ordering. He seemed to be enjoying his, so it couldn't have been too bad.
In the end, I had ordered a fair amount of cargo, and he didn't seem terribly surprised when I managed to pick out the best deals without any apparent effort.