Chapter 20: Chapter 20: Ghost Ship (3)
After breakfast, Dylan and Velmeria were both on the couch, staring intently at SAI, who's orb was now on the living room view screen.
"So you are in charge of assisting the passengers aboard the Venator? What about the crew?"
[Information Unavailable]
Dylan sighed in frustration, and Velmeria snickered.
They'd been asking questions for the past 30 minutes, and every time the two had asked about the ship or her crew, the same message appeared.
"I told you that wouldn't work."
Velmeria was enjoying her brother trying to trick SAI into revealing something about the Venator or her crew.
"Shut up, you haven't helped at all."
"I don't have an impulsive need to know everything about the ship like you do."
"You aren't curious at all?"
"No, and I also don't want to offend the Commander of the ship that saved our lives."
Dylan tried to respond, but he realized that his sister was right.
If his incessant questions started annoying the Venator's Commander, he'd probably refuse to take them home.
[Ding]
[The Commander is available to speak now, Velmeria.]
Dylan looked at his sister.
"You asked to talk to the Commander."
It wasn't a question, but the disbelief was evident in his tone.
"Yeah, I completely forgot, I asked to talk to him last night."
Her face was pale, and she sprinted to the bathroom.
Dylan could see her furiously brushing her hair with the complimentary hygiene kit hairbrush.
When she sat back down a moment later, Dylan had barely moved.
"What was that?"
"I want to look presentable to the man who saved our life."
Then she looked up and down at him, then looked away smirking.
Dylan was about to snap at her when she spoke again.
"Connect us please, SAI."
[Connecting...]
A moment later, a handsome older man appeared.
Velmeria studied him.
He was quite good-looking, in a dignified, retired soldier sort of way.
He had a thick, well trimmed beard that was black flecked with silver.
He was also tan, but had a white scar running from his fore head to his right-cheek, crossing his right eye, which was milky white.
His other eye was dark blue, which was staring intently at the two siblings.
He had a neat military haircut, and was wearing a black and blue uniform that Dylan didn't recognize.
"My name is Daniel Venata, Commander of the Venator. How can I help you?"
Both of them were staring at him reverently.
Dylan was in awe of a man who'd destroyed the pirates.
Velmeria was staring at the scar on his face.
Modern cosmetic surgery could make you look like anything at any age. Genetic treatments also slowed aging to an extreme degree.
People could live up to 300 years old, so any one who had grey in their hair was automatically labeled as someone over 250 years old.
It was equally respectable for a star ship commander to live that long, especially one who made their living hunting other star ships.
"Hello?"
The question snapped the siblings out of their revelry.
Velmeria was blushing furiously, looking away and down.
Dylan took it upon himself to respond.
"We wanted to thank you, sir, for saving us."
The Commander waved a hand.
"Think nothing of it."
"No, sir, really. I don't know how long we would have lasted there if you didn't come along when you did.
Can I ask what will happen when we get to where we're going?"
"We are heading to the Jal System, which is where the bounty that led me to you was posted. We will be there by tomorrow morning."
Dylan nodded.
He didn't know where the Gatra System was relevant to the Jal System, but he knew that most Hovarth Drives cycled for 10 hours before they were able to jump again, so It must have been far.
Velmeria had calmed down by this point, and she looked back into the view screen.
"Commander Venata, I also want to thank you for helping us.
Can I ask you what you do?"
The Commander's eyebrows rose, obviously surprised at the odd segue.
"I guess I'm a bounty hunter, but I also transport things or provide security for shipping."
"What was the bounty that led you to us?"
"I was contracted to find Ice that the Grackles stole from the Jal System. I was also supposed to find the leadership of the Grackles and neutralize them."
Dylan chimed in.
"I've never seen a ship like this before, what class is it."
The Commander's face changed instantly.
"It's a Nun-Class Destroyer.
Apologies, I have to go."
Before either of them could say anything, the connection dropped.
Velmeria glared at Dylan.
"You idiot, why did you ask him that? Are you that dense?"
Then without responding, she stood up and walked into her room, the door sliding behind her.
Dylan sat there for moment.
Part of him was guilty he'd let his curiosity get the best of him, and potentially ruined the relationship between themselves and the Commander.
The other part was alive with interest.
What is a Nun?
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