Chapter 37

Edited by Steve

Tim and Shanae walked into the MTS machine at a normal pace. He had confidence in this machine as he was transported over to Tabitha’s ship to speak with the crew. As he exited, he was met by three soldiers. They stood there with weapons at the ready. All three saw who it was, and they said, “Good morning, Captain.” In a polite manner, with smiles on each of their faces.

Tim smiled back and said, “Good morning, Ladies. How do you feel about your new assignment?” He stood facing them and waited for their reply.

One said, “This is better than just sitting around all day, doing nothing.” Then, having said that to the Captain. She started to fidget and blushed. She thought, ‘I hope he doesn’t tell our Commander that I said that.’

Tim asked, “Did you get the word of the change? You know how the military is about changes; it’s called change 13?” He smiled at that one. But, he thought, ‘if their military is anything like ours was, the changes come fast, and without reason.’

Another soldier said, “No, sir. What are the changes now?” As she cleared her throat and moved her feet, just hoping it was not bad news.

There would be three complete teams rotating every eight hours. Chencai would be the Captain on the first shift. All meals would be delivered to them by way of a service member from deck three.”

This ship was now a ‘Peacekeeper ship.’ Their first task was to stay on this planet and wait for Tabitha to talk to the King. If and when Tabitha contacted them about having the committee sent to the King’s world. They would allow the committee aboard and escort them to the MTS.

After telling this information to the soldiers, Tim walked forward to see Chencai and the co-pilot. As he entered the cabin, he noticed Chencai moving around, showing the new co-pilot where all the instruments were and what each did. She was doing this while offering words of encouragement. Tim could tell by her quick movement and no hesitation that she was enjoying her new job.

The new co-pilot was just as enthused, and she was asking all kinds of questions. The look on her face, a knowing grin, a booming laugh, this girl was full of pride. Finally, Chencai turned and noticed Tim standing in the doorway. She sat up straight and turned to face Him. The co-pilot noticed what Chencai did and did the same thing.

“Tim, what can I do for you?” Chencai now felt at ease being around Tim. She thought, ’he is the Captain, but he did allow all of his new mates to start their lives again. So, he’s not a bad guy.’

“I came over to wish you luck and see how you felt about all the new things that are happening to you and the others.”

“Well, for myself, I am enjoying being here; every day, I wake up thankful that you won the fight. That I now have a chance to do things I would have never had an opportunity to do.”

Tim watched as she spoke. There was a glow about her, and her skin seemed to be a brighter color. As she talked, she moved her body gracefully, with no effort. She was now a different person.

“What I came over to tell you was that you would be on eight-hour shifts. There will be changes in the personnel so that more individuals will get their time and training in. But while you and the other pilots are on duty. You will be in charge. And that means for the good and bad things that come during your shift. You will check in with Sarha every hour.

“Tim, you mean, this is my ship for the eight hours that I am on?” Chencai said with a euphoric feeling.

“Yes, it is your ship, but it can be taken away if not properly handled right,” Tim said with a dreaded sound in his voice. He did not want that to happen to anyone.

“On the shift change, will it change every day or what?” Chencai’s left eyebrow raised just a little. She was hopeful for a more extended period of time. She liked sitting in the Captain’s seat. It made her feel important.

“The change will be weekly, only one team will be changed each week,” Tim said this and saw the relief in Chencai’s face.

Tim heard some noise from the hallway coming from the MTS room. He turned with a worried look while Chencai started to get up. Tim placed a hand on her shoulder and gently sat her back down.

Shanae moved to the front of Tim. She thought, ‘if the shooting started, it would be me that got hit first.’

Tim had one hand on his sidearm and was ready to pull it out. Took a step to his left so he could see down the hallway; it was Tammy.

Tammy appeared slowly. She looked white as a sheet-like she had seen a ghost. “Well, They are good; they almost shot me.”

“What are you talking about, and why are you here?” Tim said. He was about to scream at her but bit his lower lip instead. “You could have been shot?”

“I know, the soldiers were about to shoot me, then one realized who I was.” She clasped her hands together. Then wrapped her hands around her waist, hugging herself. “Tim, for a moment, I thought I was dead.” She now let out a breath she was holding.

Shanae walked over to her and wrapped her arms around Tammy for a motherly hug. She could feel Tammy shaking uncontrollably, and her heartbeat racing a mile a minute.

“Please, next time you want to come aboard this ship, call ahead.” Said Tim. Tim turned and walked away to gain composure, shook his head, and frowned. He thought, ‘she could have been killed.’

“I just wanted to come aboard to see Chencai off and to tell her to take care of our old ship.”

Tammy stood there and talked to Chencai for a few minutes. After which, she, Tim, and Shanae returned to the cargo bay. As they entered, the three soldiers snapped to attention. One of the soldiers stepped forward and said, “Princess, we are sorry for what we did. We will be more careful from now on.”

“You did what you were told to do. Do not be sorry for doing it right. I am the one who is sorry.” Said Tammy. She looked at each of the soldiers and thanked them for doing a good job.

She, Tim, and Shanae all stepped back through the MTS. All headed to the bridge. Tim went to his seat, followed by Shanae, and Tammy went to the lounge.

Tabitha strolled onto the bridge, walked over to Tim, and gave him a good morning kiss. “Where’s Tammy?” As she looked around the bridge, and saw the individuals that were on shift.

“She went to the lounge, and you had better go see her,” Tim said with a sorrowful face.

Tabitha saw the face Tim had just made, “what’s wrong?” She asked in a sharp tone. As she turned quickly, heading to the lounge. She didn’t wait for the answer, with a worried look, she now had an unshakeable sense of something being wrong with her sister.

Tabitha stormed into the lounge and saw Tammy. She was curled up with her arms holding her legs tightly against her chest in a chair at the far side of the lounge. Tabitha ran over to her sister, dropped to her knees at the foot of the chair; she now had tears in her eyes.

“Tammy! Are you all right? What’s wrong?” Tabitha asked in a worrisome voice. She grabbed her sister’s hand. As she touched it, the hand was cold, clammy, and trembling. “Tammy, tell me, what’s wrong?”

“I almost died a while ago.” Tammy now looked at Tabitha with trembling lips, and her face still had not gotten all her color back and was still curled into that tight ball.

“What are you talking about, almost died. Where ... When ... Why? Tammy, please explain.” Tabitha now became a nervous wreck. She was still kneeling there with her sister, not knowing what had happened to put her sister to be in this state.

“I went over to see Chencai off, stepped out of the MTS, and the soldiers were about to shoot me. If one of them hadn’t seen me before, I’d be dead.” Tammy, still trembling, lowered her legs and sat up.

“Tammy, why would they shoot you?” Tabitha had a sad smile. Still wondered why they would try to shoot her sister.

“Their instructions were to shoot first and ask questions later.” Tammy started to regain her self-control. She now had her color back, and the trembles were almost gone. She reached down and wiped a teardrop from Tabitha’s eye.

“I still don’t understand!” Tabitha said as she turned from the kneeling position and sat down on the floor, she looked up to Tammy with a worried look. She reached up and wiped some tears from her eyes.

Tammy told her the story of what had happened, explaining in detail all about it. By the time she finished, they both laughed.

Tabitha and Tammy both got up from where they had been sitting and headed to the bridge to see Tim. They entered and saw Tim was still in his seat. Tammy, with her head hung low, walked across with Tabitha trailing right behind.

“Tim, I am sorry for the problem I caused on our ship. I didn’t mean to.” Tammy, with her head still lowered and her eyes looking up towards Tim. They had a glimmer to them.

Tim stood and opened his arms for her to come to him for a hug. “Tammy, I can’t be mad at you. You are so cute when you are pouting.” Tammy stepped into his arms and hugged him back.

Tabitha stood back a little and watched the two; she smiled and thought, ‘she will always get her way with that pouting smile.’

Tim looked over to Tabitha and signaled her to join the hug. “My two little kittens.” He said with a grin, bending down to kiss the tops of each of their heads.

Shanae made a sound; Tim looked at her, “Do you want in on the hugs also?”

“No, are we going to leave or stay here all day?” She said, her arms crossed and her right eyebrow raised just a little.

“No, you are right, Tabitha, are you ready to leave for your new career?” Tim now released both and headed back to his seat.

“Yes, let’s go see the King.” She stood up proudly. Smoothing her pants, she and Tammy both stood next to Tim. “Tim, it feels funny not being in the pilot’s seat.”

“Mayio, please, take us out of here.” As Tim sat there and watched the viewscreen. “This reminds me of some of the old movies from way back.”

“Navigation, how long is it to the King’s palace?” Asked Tim.

“We should be there in about nine hours.”

Tabitha sat on the couch in their living quarters, with her legs tucked under her, going over the lists of wants, not demands. She had a drink that sat next to her, reached over, and took a sip; she thought about what to say to the King.

The needs were not significant, but it was essential to people of their planet. They wanted to feel that they were necessary for the King. Their wants were more represented, a line for their goods to be sold, a fair price for the work they did for the King’s holdings on their planet.

Tabitha wondered if the same thing was true of the people of their system. Did her father think the same way? If she was to have the same talk to her father, how would she do that?

Tammy entered the quarters, saw Tabitha on the couch. She walked over and sat down on the chair facing Tabitha. She tucked her legs under her and asked Chester to bring her an iced tea.

Chester brought Tammy an Iced Tea, handed it to her, and said, “Princess Tammy, will there be anything else?” Just stood there waiting to see if there would be.

“Chester, I have told you, it’s Tammy. Not Princess.” She said this using a sarcastic voice.

“Yes, Princess Tammy, but Tim’s instructions to me were to call you that, and you know I cannot change his instructions.”

“OK, that will be all, and Chester, Thanks.” She now had a radiant smile and thought about how Tim made the bot treat her and Tabitha as Princesses. She looked over to Tabitha and asked. “What are you working on?”

“How to have that conversation with the King?” Tabitha sat there biting on her left-hand fingernails. She could not think of a way to start and to be diplomatic about it.

“Why not start the same way you would with our father?”

“I will not start by going up and hugging and kissing his cheek,” Tabitha said with a shocked look.

“Why not? That should throw him for a loop. He wouldn’t know what to say.”

“That sounds like something you would do?” Tabitha thought, ‘she could see Tammy walking up to this King and bending over, hugging him and then kissing his cheek.’ She shook her head, trying to get that out of her head.

“Tammy! I am trying to be serious here.” Tabitha stiffened her posture and placed a hand to her head, leaning her head to the side while resting it on her hand.

“Take it easy; it will come together; just wait and see!”

Time passed quickly as Tabitha and Tammy sat there just talking now. Tammy was trying to keep Tabitha’s mind off of the upcoming event. She told about David and Wendy, who now had their caves on deck three, and they pretended to be lost and that some of the Alion kids would come and find them.

While Tammy was telling her story, the ship was approaching the outer limits of the King’s planet. Sarha informed Tim about this and the shuttle craft was being prepared to take them to the planet surface.

By the time Tammy was finished with her stories. They only had an hour before the King’s planet. Tim walked into their quarters and saw both were sitting there. “Are you both going to see the King dressed like that?”

Both of them looked down, “Oh my god, we forgot about the time,” They both jumped up and ran to the bedroom. Tabitha came back out and looked at Tim. “Tim, I will have to go to my father’s castle. I do not have clothes for a royal visit.”

Now both she and Tammy ran to the MTS room. They had Sarha call their mother and explain what they needed, and they would be there in about five minutes.

Sarha had the MTS machine turned on and was talking to the Queen. The Queen laughed and said she would have things ready.

The Queen turned to her maiden, “Old drill again, tell the men to stay in their rooms and out of the hallway. Tell each of the girl’s maidens a royal dress is needed, and it will be like old times.”

As Tabitha and Tammy came out of the MTS machine. There stood the Queen and about ten of the Princess’s maidens. No sooner had they stepped out, they started to remove their clothes.

A maiden remained directly behind each Princess and picked up their abandoned clothes. They tried to travel quickly while removing their items. Tammy took off her shirt and tossed it over her shoulder. Same with Tabitha. The next to come off was their bras. Trying to get their shoes off, they were hopping along. Finally, they needed help to remove their pants; two maidens moved up beside each of them and held them while a third pulled the pants off. Finally, they were three-quarters of the way to their rooms and only had panties left. Both Tabitha and Tammy stopped this time to pull their panties off themselves. They were throwing them to the maids catching the clothes.