Captain's Log: Transmission from Pericles
The transmission is video feed as well as audio, and the datachip is full of files. Nika looks a little strained around the edges as she records it.
"Hi, Christian. I'm not sure how long this will take to reach you. I'm sending it from Pericles Station on 13 December. We're en route to Ariel with the passenger you asked us to retrieve. We'll be making landfall on or around 31 December -- unless I get us lost out here." Her expression is rueful. "Mostly I've been getting us where we need to go on time. Couple of notable exceptions." She pauses, lost in thought a moment.
"Things out here are ... complicated. Since you sent us a run, I know you at least got the last transmission about losing Jake to the Blue Hands people. We had another run-in with them at our last landfall. We've also retrieved Arden's old girlfriend, Valerie, and taken her with us. She's been a stalking horse for them and she's got a safe place to go. I won't transmit where just in case they're intercepting things -- though that's probably a little paranoid of me." Nika reaches behind her to scratch the back of her head with a wry twist of a smile. "It ain't paranoia if they're really out to get you, though."
Nika sighs heavily. "I've enclosed a data report with all that's occurred since we left you. You'll find the ship's books so you can update your copy -- it'll be current as of when we hit Pericles. The financial situation is pretty dire at the moment, so I sure as hell hope that when we hit Ariel, we can come up with *something*. But it's time to take a detour and follow some of the more personal paths. Joshua and Arden both have some things going on that we need to address." Again there's a pause, and she drops her head back against the head rest.
"Most everything you need to know is included in the data files. I'm trying to keep a brief log of events -- I guess you could call it the 'captain's log' if you wanted to. They seem to have decided that it's time to have someone in the role and I got nominated by default." She grimaces. "I miss you like mad, my friend. I never realized how much we tag-teamed one another in this role. I feel... entirely inadequate to the job, though Shyla seems to have faith." Her smile is faint, just around the corners of her lips.
"We stopped in at Decatur. I hate telling you that you were right about things, but... you were right. I'd finally decided to square things with Brian. I was planning on staying in Blue Sun." Hurt, pain, sadness... they all flash across Nika's face briefly. "Didn't quite work out like I'd hoped. Bri's got some issues resulting from the blast and the medical treatments that Arden was forced to use. Looks like that old adage about never going home again's got some truth to it," she admits quietly. "I don't know if things will ever come back around. Guess we'll see how the wheel keeps turning, yeah?"
Her blue eyes flicker away from the screen, and then Nika looks back at it. "You told me once that you thought I was marking time with Arden. I still think you're wrong... but I can't take it as lightly anymore. And right now, I would feel like I was using him as a fallback. It's something I haven't found the words to talk to him about yet, but ... I will. And in the meantime, I think you've created a monster in Rina. Way to go breaking down her barriers; she and Joshua have been going hot and heavy for weeks. Personally, I think maybe she's lost her mind. I didn't get the impression that Carter was the type to share once a commitment was in place, but you know... not really my business. I've already warned her that I think she's making a mistake. And I think Joshua's already in too deep. He's a good guy, but..."
Nika trails off and says, "I'm worried about keeping him on board, and I'm more worried about just abandoning him too. You'll understand better when you read the reports of our most recent stop. I hope I'm not making a mistake here. But I have a feeling I'm going to be hoping that a lot." She smiles faintly. "Shyla's advice was 'do what you do best -- fly by the seat of your pants' essentially. But I miss your calm. I hope this missive finds you well, Christian. If this arrives early, you're welcome to send response by way of Ariel. I don't know if that's where we'll head after the next stop, but I'll make a point of trying to contact Ariel for a forward as necessary. Take care and give Lem a kiss from his aunt Nika. Merry Christmas." She reaches out and turns off the recording, realizing for the first time that Christmas is coming. Wonderful.
