Abandoning ship

I stare at the console in front of me the blinking lights the gages saying... something. I never been the pilot of this vessel. But it is just me and Liza, short for Elizabetha, never call her that if you value your life or at least a comfortable shower.

With some cursing groans and mutters Liza rises from the back of our little ship. She is stained in whatever dirt there is. I think i only saw her completely clean twice in thebten years we've traveled together.

"Well... i got good news i got bad news. And you don't get to chose. The good news i fixed the replicator as best as i could with the things we have. The bad news it only has the storage capacity of a few patterns so its water and emergency rations and some medical things. The rest i gone. The good news is. The ship is moving and we have enough power to go to warp for a bit. Bad news... the navigational array is gone... and i mean absolutly gone. The last attack took care of that. So we can move fast... just blind. "

Liza cleans her hands with a rag she always has in her jumpsuit and sighs...

I having a horrible comidic timing try to lighten the mood.

"So we are two for two and even out on the good vs bad luck."

Liza tosses the dirty rag to me and i feel her anger flaring up but she quickly regains control of herself its the Klingon blood in her.

"Oh i can keep going, we are without a pilot, or medic or anyone else... we are running a ship with the two of us.. while this needs a crew of at least 6. And i am just patching up this ship with the equivalent of bandaids... it is not permanent and at a point we will be stranded. Lets just hope it will not be in contested area and we won't have to defend ourselves."

Liza is all tough strong and practical. But i feel her worries. And i feel her guilt towards me.

She was one of a crew of eight who had found me and took me in. I had ended up as a child on the auctionblock. Even as half a Betazoid i possess abilities that many like to have in their portfolio.

The crew of this ship were... pirates of sorts bandits.. though they call themselves the resistance against the set order.... And what order... well whatever they would encounter at that point. Just a bunch of rebels, but they were my family as they took me in, cared for me. And sure when i became older i helped with jobs. And when i got my Empathetic abilities under control i helped them hussle some games or deals.

It was a fun and good time. We only needed eachother and the ship.

Though at a point it turned south. The first to go was Maddy she was our on board medic, she caught a plague which there was no cure for. We had to leave her behind dying at the infected planet. Her husband wanted to stay with her not leaving her to die alone.

Our captain he didn't follow his own rule and got himself killed being the hero... due to his sacrifice we could get away with a bunch of slaves we freed from an auction. He couldn't stand slavery and such.

Our pilot and our weapons specialist both were killed during a shootout at a space station.

Reggie and Rich had been imprissoned after being falsely accused of trafficking forbidden substances. There was no possibility of getting them back. And now it is just Liza and me.

I am teaching myself to fly the ship which goes well enough it is not easy but i got the basics down. I can manouver a bit go to warp get out of warp without ripping the ship apart. But do not ask me for tactical flying.

Liza is keeping the ship together but feeling her worry i know that her solutions are at an end as well.

I hear her rummaging in a few cabinets then a short curse.

Looking up i see her gripping the tabletop her knuckles turning white and i feel the flaring anger i her. There is only one thing i can do. Standing up from the pilot chair i walk up to my big sisterly friend and give her a long hug. I feel her wrap her strong arms around me and let out a deep sigh.

"I am sorry peanut but i feel like in the end we didn't save you."

I cup her face in my hands and looks at her.

"But you did. I have not been sold into slavery.. i am free. I have a family even if it is a bit thinned out. I habmve my big sister Lizzy. "

She slaps me with a soft hand kn the back of my head. She hates that name.

"We'll be fine. We'll manage. I think i saw a spacestation on the radar. Even without long range navigation we can manage going there. Lets hustle some people that deserve to have their pockets thinned out and get some supply for the three of us."

Liza nods and ruffles my hair. "Alright peanut, lets get to that station of yours. "

I laugh "Well i doubt we'll make that much that i can buy the spacestation. "

Liza goes back to holding the ship together with tape and gum and i move back to the pilot seat. It is a bit tricky to only fly by sight and rudimentary radar. But its better than flying fully blind.

It took some doing and with the shoddy communications we have left i managed to get permission to dock at the station.

We are immediately greeted by some worried looking security. "Are you alright? It seems your ship is in a rough shape. "

Liza looks insulted at the man with a scowl she says

"You better watch out what you say about my baby or your face will be a wreck. "

The left guard was first shocked then amused but the right guard was not reacting as well. I stepped in. Addressing mostly the right guard, as he felt he deserved more respect.

"My apologies sir. We have had indeed quite a long trip and not without our share of issues. It made us both a bit on edge. No insult was intended Sir. "

With that things seemed to be calmed a bit. The guards left us with warning we should make sure all our paperwork was in order before going on the station for business.

We nodded both promised we would and waited till they left our view.

I look at Liza and smile "To a bar?"

She nods "To the bar!"

We sought out a bar that was not to fancy but not to shady either. And one where they were playing games as well.

We scoped some players and tables usually we enter seperated as noone wants to play against me. As i am partially betazoid and the black eyes are a dead giveaway. So Liza does the playing and in do the listening in and sending her short messages with hints or info.

Things are going well we work for an evening and have quite some winnings.

We agree to meet up at the ship she leaves first and i will go out 23 minutes later. Never use a round number of minutes that stands out.

Walking back to the ship i get a dreadful feeling. Someone is telepathically scanning me. I look around quickly and with that i realized only to late i gave away my hand.

I started to run but was already to late. Something of a stunblast hit me between the shoulders and i went down.

I woke up my hands tiewrapped to a chair a light shining in my face. It seemed like one of those old fashioned movies Reggie always like to watch. I couldn't help but laugh nervously. I didn't sense any emotions so they or must be stronger telepathically than i am which is very well possible. Or they dampened my abilities.

A deeper male voice. "Name? Did you arrive here on the vessel Cantrip? What is your name? What is your destination? "

He went bombarding me with questions. I know the tactic when overwhelmed what to answer you pick the easiest answers which is usually the truth. That takes less time thinking. So i kept quiet.

A fist slams down on what i assume a tabletop.

"Answer me! Name? Are you Betazoid? Were you in the bar at 22.00? Did you arrive here in the vessel Cantrip? Did you arrive alone?"

Again i remain silent but i start to feel a form of headache forming. Someone is trying to probe my mind. I try to fight it off. But who ever does it is strong.

I start to feel panic racing through me.

Another voice a calmer voice i can't discern if it is male or female says to let me go. They know enough.

Only now I realize i have my hands wrapped around the chairs armrests knuckles white, sweating and high panting breath.

Shit how long have I been fighting it off. Have i answered the man.

The light turns off. I am stunned again. When i wake up i see i am in a corridor near the ship. In panic i run to the ship calling for Liza.

Liza comes out with a shocked face "Where were you? I looked for you, you've been gone for a full day. "

I shake my head and rush inside. "I don't know someone got me and asked me questions theybtried to probe me. I fought them off. I am tired.. but we need to go now. They are on to us. "

Liza nods helps me inside plants me in the pilot seat and she does the necessary things for us to leave. I ask permission for release of clamps to leave from the station.

At least that goes smooth. We are on the way. Back in open space.

We are not even a full day away and we get hailed by an unknown ship. They order us to stop and lower our shields. As we are charged with theft and other criminal activities to which some high placed official their son was victim.

Liza looks at me.

"They wanted us gone from the station they couldn't do anything against us there but here in space...."

I look at her shocked. "What do we do?"

Liza smiles "Today is a good day to die my little sister."

I nod and prepare myself to some difficult maneuvering. Really hoping our survival doesn't depend on my piloting skills.

The battle is short. Our ship couldn't take much anymore anyway. The helm got overloaded and i am shocked and burned can't move my hands and arms and can barely see.

I just hear alarms and Liza her cursing. Somehow that makes me feel better. Knowing she is alive and active. I feel her lift me up in her arms. She carries me to the escape pods. She launches several all with decoys except one. I struggle breathing. In the escapepod there is barely space for the both of us. But she holds me tight to her and sings a klingon song. Stroking my hair. I fall asleep in her strong arms my big sister Lizzy.