Losing Troy, Part 10

"We have to get him back," Rachel replied immediately. She didn't know Troy very well, but she enjoyed his sense of humor and easy-go-lucky manner. Also, she'd seen so many deaths... She wasn't eager to add another name to the ever growing list.

     Audrey nodded mutely. The whole time she'd been onboard the ship, she hadn't had time to think about it much. But now, now she felt numb. And there was this emptiness inside of her.

     "Hey, don't worry," Rachel soothed. "We'll get him back. Unfortunately, I'm the only one available right now...but I should be enough."

     Audrey allowed a small smile to lift the corners of her mouth. "Trying to escape the paperwork?"

     "If only one could..." Rachel muttered.

Jolie drummed her fingers on the control panel. "They'll be here by tomorrow. That allows for Audrey to get back, get help, gear up, and return."

     Her ever constant companion, the captain of the ship (a.k.a the silent warrior), grunted. "Whatever it is you say."

     Jolie raised a perfectly shaped eyebrow. "You'll see. I haven't been wrong so far."

     "As long as I get what I need, I'll let you live. But if I don't get what I need..." He let it hang in the air.

     "You'll be stuck," Jolie interrupted.

     The creature blinked slowly and tolerantly. It didn't bother to point out that wasn't what he was going to say. What was the point? He was going to kill her eventually, anyway, whether he got what he needed or not.

Somewhere between consciousness and unconsciousness, Troy thought briefly about his mother. He wasn't sure what brought her to mind, but it was comforting.

     Wait, did that mean he was dying? After all, his mother was dead, and he was seeing her face very clearly.

     No, he couldn't be dying. Now the memories were going faster, as if someone was prying through them.

     And someone was.

     That someone was Jolie.

"We'll get a good night's rest, then head out early tomorrow. The ship is already fully equipped, so that won't be a problem. Negotiating might be an option, but we'll cross that bridge when we get to it," Rachel wrapped up. "Sound good?"

     "Anything that deals with getting Troy back sounds good," Audrey responded. She rubbed her temples to try and ease the pain that had taken up residence there. Rachel watched her keenly.

     "I think it's about time we went to bed."

     "Mm. Not opposed to that at all," Audrey responded, smiling slightly. "I'm looking forward to it very much."

     Rachel stretched and yawned before standing up. "C'mon; I'll show you your room."

Jolie finally grew bored of searching Troy's memories, so she called the technician of the ship into her quarters. Setting the mind-control orb down on her dresser, she turned to face him.

     "The core isn't a vital part of this ship, correct? There are back-ups in the hard drives."

     The technician nodded his reptilian head. "Yes, ma'am, that is correct. Our energy matrix collapsed, so we need something to power the ship."

     Jolie nodded. "So it doesn't matter if I recover the core or not?"

     The technician wasn't sure where this was going, but he shook his head. "No."

      "Alright. You may go now." She smiled now, but it wasn't a nice one; it was more like the leer of a wolf before it lunges for the killing stroke.