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The Day The Aliens Regretted Sending the Probes (for Countdown321 and Blurugirl)

Rand leaned back on his seat and looked from the lawyer to the well armed assistant and back to the lawyer. He had thought that he would be inheriting his father's ship fully, but it seemed like he wasn't even the full owner of it. With all this talk, he thought they were talking about a full ship and not just a third of it. Now, it wasn't like he was inheriting just a third of a ship, but would the Borrowed Chance really feel like it belonged to him as things stood? It was a bit disappointing for the young man to find that out, especially because the law firm now held seventy percent of ownership, meaning that they were effectively the major owners of it. Then again, with the money they were offering, the sole purpose for them to even care about a share in the old ship was to figure out its link to whatever shortened its flight time. He could just sell the share to them now and be done with it... but...

...but Rand was very curious about this technology his father and that doctor discovered.

Rand stood up and took a deep breath, closing his eyes in the meantime. He took a moment of silence for himself, as if organizing his thoughts and then reached out to shake the lawyer's hand. "Thank you for the hard work you put into this. I won't be selling my share. Instead, I'm going to take that ship and find out what I can about this tech. If I find anything, I'll let you know. Otherwise... I think I'm going to do some exploring. I might go after the tech or not... but one thing's for sure, I'll finally be up there instead of down here." He explained and turned to Deloris with a smile. "Plus, I can't pass up the opportunity to be escorted by such a stunning woman."
 
"Escorted means you do what I say, when I say, and how I say," Deloris said in a clipped, no nonsense tone. "I don't expect trouble. It's approximately two hundred meter walk from the hover lot to the entrance of the hangar holding the Borrowed Chance. But it's the dark side of the Free Trade Zone. So just stay alert and take your cues from me."

"Before you head off, young man," the lawyer said, "Any final questions?"
 
"Yes, ma'am!" He said, almost standing at attention at Deloris' words. Of course she would be a totally no nonsense kind of woman that took charge of the situation and why wouldn't he follow her commands? Not only was she the perfect woman in the eyes of many, but she had more experience than he'll ever have in these matters. If following her commands would get him to his destination safely, then he didn't have a problem with it. Then again, if it were Deloris, he wouldn't have a problem following other commands either. Rand quickly forced such thoughts out of his head and turned to the lawyer upon his question.

"Oh? No, not that I can think of..." He paused and rubbed his chin. "No, wait... can you give me the name of the Doctor's heir? I might want to contact them if I go searching for the tech." He asked.
 
The lawyer looked surprised at the request. "That won't be a problem. Though Dr. O'Neill's heir is her father. She had no progeny. She was your age when she...well, when whatever fate befell her, befell her."

The lawyer looked through the paperwork. "James O'Neill is her father. Chief Maintenance Engineer of the planet's various archaeological digs. Be...gentle when you talk to him. We will send him word of his daughter's disappearance, but it will take time. It may even be you reach him before our message does. Anything else?"
 
Rand listened to the lawyer and gave him a nod. "James O'Neill. Got it." It was a fate that he did not wish on anyone, losing a daughter like that. While Rand never had any kids, he knew that if he were to die, it would be a hard blow to his mother. Like her, he was sure that most other parents out there would feel the same. Well, maybe not his father... or maybe he did care? Who knows, it wasn't like Rand was heartbroken to know that his father was missing. The man was really nothing to him, but hey... he got a ship from it. "That will be all. Thank you."

Rand turned around and headed toward the door to meet Deloris and smiled. "I am at your command, Deloris. I'll be good and listen to your orders until you get me there safely." He paused scratched his cheek. "Maybe after, I could possibly take you out somewhere?"
 
Deloris gave a nalf snort half laugh in response. "Let's get to your ship first. There's a couple of things you need to know about it. I've got a hovercraft on the roof with some armament. You have any practice with any kind of firearm?"
 
Well, at least she hadn't given him a no. Rand was happy, because a no was just the end of the conversation, but a "maybe" like the one she gave him was still leaving the possibility for a "yes" later on if he played his cards right. Rand gave the woman a nod at her question though. "Yes, I'm mostly proficient with rifles. My grandmother insisted that a good sniper is always needed." He gave the woman a shrug, as if what he said had been perfectly normal and natural. "Aside from that, I have some training with most kinds of firearms, so yeah. That shouldn't be a problem."
 
Deloris led Rand to an enclosed roof garage. All of the cars looked to be older models, beat up in appearance but still solid looking. Deloris led Rand to one particular non-descript model. The car looked decrepit on the outside, but on the inside, it was state of the art.

Deloris led Rand to the hovercars trunk. When she popped it open, there was a veritable small armory inside. Without hesitation, she pulled out one pistol in particular, handing it to Rand.

"Hold the grip for thirty seconds," she instructed Rand. "It will adapt itself so that only you can fire it. Automatic lock and tracking, trickle charge capability. Just don't pull it out unless I tell you to, understand?"
 
Man... Deloris looked really amazing in that body suit of hers and the whole time, he couldn't help sneak glances at her. She had such a perfect body, but also the cutest of faces. He both didn't know where to look and didn't want to keep from looking at everything. It was a struggle for him not to stare like a creep, although he knew that the glances weren't much better. Regardless, he followed her to the car and looked at the side arm that she handed him. He would have preferred a rifle if he had to take a gun, but a handgun was perfectly good for him. It wasn't like they were expecting heavy resistance... or any resistance at all, right?

"Oh... I haven't seen this model. Grandma usually has PXO-45s as side-arms." He mused about the older models that his grandmother owned, speaking more to himself than to Deloris. "I understand, ma'am." He added, giving her a nod.
 
"If you had, I would have been impressed," Deloris responded. "Latest model, and only in my selection because our firm has ties with Confederation Defense Forces and my own ties with my order," Deloris responded, making reference to the fact that she was a Vestan. "Once you get it linked to you, slap it on the side of your ribs, wherever is comfortable. The same nanites in the handle that link the gun to you also will make a pseudo-holster out of your clothing, wherever you put the gun. More secure than a regular holster, and easier to draw the gun when you need it."

Deloris opened both doors to the hovercraft, gesturing for Rand to get in on the passenger side. She climbed in on the driver side, putting her big gun in a slot between the two seats in the middle. "Remember the rules: don't draw until you see me shooting, and don't stop shooting until me and you are the last ones standing. Now buckle up, never know when we're going to hit an air pocket," Deloris added as she strapped herself into her own seat and fired up the hovercraft.
 
This weapon model was rather interesting and Rand really did wonder what his grandmother would say about it. She might like it, especially the functionalities that Deloris explained, but at the same time he had a feeling that she would claim that the gun was made by the robot overlords that are trying to take over the universe so that we would put nanomachines so close to our bodies. They might activate a bomb function and kill us all! Or... something of the sort. At some point, Rand learned to just switch off whenever his grandmother went on these rants.

"Roger." He said, buckling up and looking at the woman again. She was really serious and not just from the job it seemed, all Vestan were a bit like her as far as he knew. He found it interesting rather than be put off by it. "So... hmmm..." He started, thinking about what to say to make small talk. "Tell me about your gun. It's quite the beauty."
 
"Just keep your eyes peeled out the window, kid, and forget the small talk," Deloris said in a clipped voice, as the hovercraft headed toward a wall. At the last second, the wall dematerialized, letting the hovercar slide gracefully into the air thirty meters above ground.

"Listen, I know you're all curious about me, and those hormones of yours are trying their best to push your brains into thinking of a way to get into my pants, but it ain't going to happen," Deloris said as she guided the hovercar 8nto a stream of traffic above the city. "So I don't want to tell you about my rifle, I don't want to go to dinner, I don't want to tell you what life was like growing up and being trained in a Vestan compound. What you need to be asking is what I know about your ship, which isn't much. Our techs have already scoured the ship for any clues about how it made a trip as fast as it did. And we don't think there are any clues that can be found. Some of us," Deloris said thoughtfully. The hovercraft maneuvered into another stream of traffic heading out to the western outskirts of the city. "But the thing is, Dr. O'Neill was as brilliant as they come, and your Dad was a sneaky bastard, so their may, just may, be a clue on that ship that only you can access. I don't know. I'm an empirical proof kind of girl myself. See what it is before I blast it into its component parts."
 
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Rand remained there, sitting and watching the Vestan talk, not really wanting to interrupt her. He was always of the opinion that it is much better to listen to what the other party has to say and then reply with a good rebuttal, than interrupting their point. What would stop them from interrupting him when it was his turn to speak? It was a fair way to debate with someone. However, what she said did make him start to wonder. Both about herself and about the secret that the ship might have hidden within itself somewhere. He didn't really know his father, so he couldn't go down memory lane for it, so he wondered if he could find it.

That said, he couldn't help poke at the first topic. "It's not hormones and it's not just wanting to get into your pants. I think you're beautiful and smart and while yes I am very physically attracted to you, I wanted to go on a dinner date to get to know you." He groaned, knowing that it likely wouldn't be enough to convince her. His mother always said he tended to be a convincing little bastard, but then again... Moms... amirite? "As for the hidden tech... I'll figure something out. While I'm taking the ship around, I might stumble onto something. Worst case scenario, he didn't leave anything behind on it."
 
The hovercraft entered into a slightly less occupied stream as Deloris punched a few seemingly random keys on the console of the hovercraft. "I don't do dinner dates," she answered simply.

"As far as taking your ship done, that may be easier said than done. The firm won't stop you. They'll even encourage you. But some of our inhouse engineers...well, you'll see soon enough."

Without warning, the hovercraft dropped like a rock. One moment, it was high above the ground, the next moment, it was hovering an inch above a black paved surface. As soon as it settled on the ground, a large lurking figure emerged from the shadows.

Deloris grabbed her big gun from the middle console, but didn't seem to worried about the approaching figure. The figure was about two and a half meters tall, appeared generally male, with slate gray skin, and an elongated head topped with coal black hair. It looked vaguely human, except it had no eyes, and place where eyes should be.

"Any problems, H'crul?" Deloris asked the alien. It shook its head slowly before returning back to the shadows.

"Okay, kid, keep your eyes open," Deloris began. "Just a short little walk from her to the hangar, and H'crul says there hasn't been any troublemakers in the area, but you can never be sure. You ready to go get your ship?"
 
Deloris was really not into him and that was a depressing thought for Rand. True, he had just met her, but it seemed like he had inherited his father's condition of being weak to pretty women - then again, it wasn't like Rand was even aware that his father was like that. Regardless, he figured that for the time being, insisting wasn't going to get him anywhere and he kept quiet. This was until the hovercraft dropped and he did let out a yelp, not having expected it. However, it seemed like it was planned? He assumed as much.

Seeing H'crul did make Rand go slack jawed for a moment. It wasn't the first time seeing an alien, but it was the first time seeing his kind. Not only that, but there were actually few aliens where he grew up, so he didn't have a not of experience with them. Still, he ended up following the woman and waved at the alien as he vanished into the darkness.

"Yes... I think so? Yes." He nodded to her, crossing his arms and nodding again. "Yes, I think I am. I've always wanted to get off-world and this is the perfect chance... my own ship... wow..."
 
All things considered, the walk from the parking space to the door of the hangar holding the Borrowed Chance was a nonevent. The dark emptiness of the spaces between the various hangars seemed particularly menacing, but nothing or no one leapt out at the pair before they got to the hangar.

The hangar's exterior might have been drab and nondescript, but the interior was anything but.

"Top of the line security," Deloris explained as they went through two airlock style doors. "The Borrowed Chance isn't the first valuable asset we've placed her to keep it out of the government's official purview. The two stepped into a well lit corridor that branched off into three directions. "That way are living quarters for anyone who needs to stay for more than a day or two, that way is supplies, environmental systems, that sort of thing, and that way," Deloris continued, "Is the way to the Broken Chance."

Deloris led Rand through another another pair of airlock style of doors that opened up to a wide space, which contained a small spaceship. The ship itself looked old and rundown. In truth, the spaceship had looked that way when it was brand new, and the ensuing years had not been kind to it. The hull, though solid looking, was discolored and pockmarked. Through the open hatches, though, the interior could be seen as modern. Not only modern, but cutting edge, state of the art technology modern.

There were also lots of parts and disassembled systems scattered on the floor of the hangar.

"Hey, Deloris, is that you?" a soprano voice shouted out.

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The young woman who had shouted out appeared from behind the Broken Chance.

"You must be Rand," she said cheerfully. "Dunnus Kinnuts. I'd shake your hands, but I've got hydraulic fluids all over my hands."
 
Rand was exceptionally excited to meet his ship, but when he entered the hangar, he was amazed at the level of tech the place had. He wasn't all too knowledgeable about the designs and models and all the maths and whatnot that went into the systems, but he sure as hell could tell what each thing was with a glance and... felt like pulling them apart and build them right back. Then again, everything was so slick and nice looking that he was fairly certain he'd ruin the aesthetic of it all.

It wasn't until he finally saw the Borrowed Chance that Rand's awe reached its peak. He had seen a few ships this big from afar, but around his little town, most stuff wasn't built for off-world travel. This ship was different and he could tell that the beauty had been traveling a lot and through many places. It made him wonder what planets it had seen and what star systems it flew through since its first flight. She was going to be his ship and while he never seen it before, to his knowledge, he already felt a connection.

The new individual that popped out took him right out of his thoughts. She... actually seemed a lot more familiar than anyone else in this city. He didn't know her per say, but he was used to people like her. She seemed to be an engineer and clearly wasn't afraid to get her hands dirty. "Oh, nonesense." He smiled, reaching out and taking Dunnus' hand with both of his and shaking it. "I'm used to it, do a lot of work with my hands back home too. Plus, I have a feeling you've been keeping this old girl fixed up and healthy, right? Least I can do is shake your hand."
 
"Actually," Dunnus said, a bit embarrassed, "I've been taking her apart. Trying to see how exactly she traveled faster than a 7.0 drive is supposed to let her. And still haven't a clue. Even went over the final recordings your father left. Um," Dunnus stopped, looking between Rand and Deloris, "Have you seen the final recordings?"
 
Taking her apart... Rand hear that the scientists and engineers were doing that, but now it really dawned on him that if they were taking the ship apart trying to find new info... that it might have some problems when the time to travel finally arrives. Still, it hurt a little bit that such a fine and old ship was getting that kind of treatment now. Regardless, it was necessary and he was sure Dunnus would hand it back all fixed up... hopefully.

"Not really... do they have any clues for what might have happened?" He asked, crossing his arms and cocking his head at Dunnus.
 
Deloris seemed happy to lean back against a wall and let Dunnus take the lead.

"I think your father and/or Dr. O'Neill incorporated something in the second half of the message he left you," Dunnus said. "Though I couldn't tell you what is incorporated in it, how it was incorporated in it, how to extract it, or even if there is anything incorporated in it. As for the first half of the message..." Dunnus' face went beet red, and even Deloris looked uncomfortable at the mention of the first half of this message.
 
Well, his father's message would be the only possible places to get leads at this point. Rand already expected that specialists like Dunnus would have searched every inch of the ship, so he was likely not going to find anything that they didn't. So he was starting to bank that this message would hold some key to the truth... or maybe now. Maybe it just had no information and they would be left dead in the water once again.

"Hmmm? What's wrong with the first part? Did it get corrupted or something?" He asked, noticing how they seemed to look uneasy about that part.
 
"Not...exactly," Dunnus replied. Now even Deloris looked distinctly uncomfortable. "Your father...well, he had several graphic things to say about your mother. Detailed graphic things. Um, with pictures. I think...well, I think you might find it more productive to listen to the second half of the message, and forget the first half."
 
Rand's expression slowly shifted from intrigue, to confusion and then finally down to anger. It wasn't often that the young man experienced actual anger, but when it involved his family, he rarely held back his emotions. It was clear that he didn't like what Dunnus said and clenched his fists. "The man steals all her money... leaves her to raise her baby alone... and he still leaves a message insulting her?" He the veins on his neck were visible, but he tried to calm himself. "I want to see what the bastard said about her." Because if he found the man, he'd make him regret it all.
 
"I, yes, well..." Dunnus began, "He had pictures of her and positions...I mean, I don't know much about that stuff...okay, nothing about that stuff, but..."

"Kid, it's your call. You want to see it, you get to see and hear all you want," Deloris began, "But do you really want to put yourself through all that?"
 
It took Rand a few moments to realize what they really meant by graphic and pictures of positions. At first he thought that the guy was just insulting his mother in some way, but now it was clear what he had done and Rand groaned loudly. "No... no... it's alright." He said, shaking his head as he was already pretty much thinking about where he was going to shoot his father if it ever turned out that he was alive. "I'll just... see the second part then. Thank you."
 
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