Not all of them, he reminded himself, though the survivors had mostly been conscripted slaves who had been brainwashed into loyalty. He’d almost been killed by one of them a few years back.
Naxe’s head turned toward the frog, giving him a look at her profile. Once again Halliwell was struck by the strength and clarity there. Other than his Picard inclinations, it was Naxe that had brought him here. It was either the right decision or his worst ever.
“Permission to proceed?” Naxe asked the frog.
He croaked, then Naxe asked the same question over the comm.
“Permission granted,” an anonymous voice said.
Halliwell felt their course alter, taking them toward the rear of the formation, where the ships were more battered looking.
“It’s like a museum,” Riina murmured. “I’ve never seen such an assortment of ships in one place.”
“But you recognize them?” Halliwell asked, keeping his tone casual. How could she recognize ships that were built after she went into cryo-sleep?
“Not all of them.” Another flickering glance his direction had him biting back the questions he wanted to ask. “But many have familiar profiles.”
If they were familiar, that meant they were old. That seemed to confirm some of what Naxe claimed, but his gut was still going for “trap.”
If it were a trap, was Naxe a part of it? She could be unwitting bait, but why would anyone in the ship’s company want him? He kept coming back to that. And she hadn’t objected to Tim, indeed she’d seemed impressed by him, even relieved, he’d thought at the time. That seemed to bolster the unwitting bait part. But it didn’t answer the question of why him? He might be the ultimate power aboard his ship, but he was a cog in this system, and a smallish cog at that. The big player in this galaxy was the Gadi. The Earth Expedition had a seat at the table because they’d risked everything to help them defeat the Dusan, but that didn’t mean he was well-liked around here, despite the AI, Bangle’s endorsement.
The frog gave some kind of a croak, his surprisingly supple flippers adept on the controls—controls that might have been designed specifically for a frog. Tim, who had a special line to Bangle, had taken time to update Halliwell on the frog’s special abilities. Not just a co-pilot, but a hacker and a good one. Good enough, in fact, to have intrigued Bangle, which was how she’d come to transport them directly to his quarters. He’d been sure it was Naxe’s voice, but no, apparently Bangle was impressed by ninja hacking skills. He was going to have to try to have a talk with the Bangle when he got back. But for now he needed to focus on the puzzle in front of him.
The silence felt tense and Halliwell realized he did miss one thing about Bangle that surprised him: the Earth music she insisted on piping throughout the various outposts and—when she could get away with it—onboard their ships. Her playlists might sometimes annoy, but they’d also been surprisingly apropos to the moment at times and they filled tense silences. What song, he wondered, would she pick for this moment? Highway to the Danger Zone maybe? He glanced over and realized one of Tim’s metal fingers was tapping a metal knee. Did he have a song playing in there? Wouldn’t surprise Halliwell. All of the cybernetic robots had bonded with Bangle and hadn’t seemed to mind the music. Almost he grinned.
“We will be docking at our usual place,” Naxe said.
Halliwell felt the slowing of the ship as it angled even more sharply toward a long ship that looked a bit like a caterpillar, a space version, with sucker-looking indentations along the side. Docking bays perhaps? A ship designed specifically to receive cargo? It was the last ship in the formation, but the trailing edges of smaller rear ships almost flanked it, the arrangement once more appearing to be protective.
At least that made sense. You’d want to protect your supply chain, though this was a fairly meagre effort. Of course, it did make it easy for ships to come and go, he’d guess.
Riina leaned forward in her seat, craning slightly to peer past the pilot’s position.
She exuded a serenity that Halliwell found curious in someone who’d slept long and awakened to a completely changed world. He’d wondered how he’d react and decided he’d be angry, but then serenity had never been one of his personal traits. It was, in his mind, a passive trait but…Riina was not a passive person. She might be tranquil on the surface, but he sensed more there. Plus, she came highly recommended. And Tim liked her, he reminded himself with an inner grin.
“All is well?” Riina asked, that soothing serenity in her tone.
Naxe quit moving for several seconds, then swiveled around.
“I am somewhat overdue,” she said. “There are extra protocols.” She glanced at Tim. “And I reported passengers.”
“What are the usual protocols for docking?” Tim asked, entering the conversation unexpectedly. “What will be different?”
Halliwell blinked, wondering if he’d ever heard Tim use that many words.
“Normal protocol is to use the exterior docking hatch, via an airlock, rather than landing in a bay and using the ramp. Because of you, the crew will scan and approve the cargo, then unload it. Once they are clear of this ship, we can enter the cargo bay. On their side of the airlock, there is a security scan.” She seemed to hesitate and glanced in the frog’s direction, before saying, almost lamely. “It is necessary if you wish to leave this ship.”
“They will find Tim alarming,” the frog said in his gruff tone.
“Everyone finds Tim alarming,” Halliwell said. It was one of the things Halliwell liked about Tim.
“Truly?” Riina turned to study the robot. “I find him reassuring.”
“I was designed to intimidate,” Tim said, as if they didn’t know this.
Halliwell glanced at Tim, but there was nothing to see, of course. Except the non-rhythmic tapping of one metal finger. He arched a brow, not sure Tim would understand the implied question. But if the robot was worried….
“I am unable to detect life signs aboard the cargo receiving ship,” Tim said.
Naxe had enough expression for her and Tim. “That’s not…” she swung around and began tapping controls.
A screen appeared on their forward view. It showed a few life signs on the docking ship. If he had to guess, the cluster was in the unloading bay they were approaching, and then possibly a bridge crew or security presence. The scan did not show any other ship in the fleet.
“Interesting,” Tim said.
He didn’t sound concerned, but then he never did.
“You and Riina should don protective suits before leaving this ship,” Tim said.
Naxe looked at him over her shoulder. “The bay is climate controlled and the scan will detect and remove harmful agents from the air.”
Tim said nothing. If Naxe thought this was a concession, well, she didn’t know Tim.
“How many people are usually stationed there?” Halliwell asked, partly because he wanted to know and partly to change the subject.
“Security, crew to unload and move cargo, a foreman. Maybe six to ten.”
Exactly the number of life signs showing on their screen. In a battle of frog data versus Tim data, Halliwell knew which he believed. But if Tim was right then…what the heck?