(… continuing)

“I have one piece of very good news, some bad news and some other good news”, Dukk said moments later as his crew sat down at the table.
“Very good news first please. We need it,” Luna said with glee.
“Good idea Luna. So, the very good news is that there won’t be an investigation into the raid,” Dukk answered. “We just need to submit the report to our rig’s observers and we can get on with it.”
“Looks like someone is smiling on us. We certainly need it after the last few days,” Annee offered.
“It does. So what’s next, Luna. The bad or the other good news?” Dukk asked.
“Bad. We might as well get it over with.”
“The bad news is that we will be doing a fast turn around. Loading at eight a.m. in the morning. Launching near nine a.m..”
“Oh,” Luna said.
“What about the normal post arrival observer inspection?” Annee asked.
“The observers just told me that it is not needed either.”
“Wow, who would had thought,” Annee said.
“Is that the other good news?” Luna asked.
“No, I’d forgotten about that piece of news. No the other good news is that, Wallace is paying for dinner and drinks. He booked a table for us at The Triggerarti. Eight p.m..”
“Someone is definitely smiling on us. This is all working out just fine,” Bazzer said.
“Now my news fits,” Annee commented.
“What news?” Dukk asked.
“I just received an alert that there is a cleaning crew ready to come on board immediately.”
“That is interesting. Anyone got anything else to add?” Dukk asked.
“Passengers,” Annee noted.
“What about them?”
“Finding passengers for the outward leg at such short notice, will be a challenge. I already advertised. There wasn’t much interest. I had planned to use tomorrow morning to chase down some leads.”
“Not getting any passengers might be a blessing after the passengers we left with last time,” laughed Bazzer.
“It might,” Dukk added. “Let’s not make it a priority. Something might show up.”
“Ok”, Annee answered.
“So, I figure,” Dukk offered. “If we all help with unloading, monitoring of cleaning and all that, we’ll be done within the hour and we’ll then have the afternoon free for some downtime.”
Dukk looked around the table for feedback. Marr looked disappointed.
“Marr, are you ok?” he asked.
“I was hoping to get out of the citadel for a run. I understand authorisation of passes takes a few hours. I had planned to apply now and then go tomorrow morning.”
“Yes, that is a pity,” Dukk replied. “I was hoping to take you up on your offer to show me your old haunts. It would have been great to get out for a run.”
“Let me look into it for you,” Mentor offered. “I may know someone who can swing some passes at short notice for this afternoon. Seeing as you were a keeper, you shouldn’t need an escort. I’d think you should be able to take a guest too.”
“Count me in,” Luna chirped.
“Me too,” Annee said.
“Great, that works for me. Annee will you take charge of the allocation of tasks?” Dukk asked.
“Yep,” Annee answered as she exposed a list on the table projector.

Thirty minutes later, Dukk was standing in the corridor outside the guest cabins. He was monitoring the cleaning crews as they did their thing.
“Can we talk?” came a voice from behind.
Dukk turned around. “Sure, Ann. What’s up?”
Annee pointed towards the crew mess. Dukk followed her in. They swiped their bracelets as they entered.
“Something doesn’t add up,” Annee said quietly. “No investigation of the raid and no rig inspection. Even for short turn arounds, the observers usually do some sort of inspection.”
“Yep, I know, it is odd.”
“I’ve experienced inspections being skipped, but never investigations and definitely not both together. What is going on?”
“I don’t know, Ann. Wallace contacted me just after the observers got their message. Perhaps he pulled some favours to get us turned around fast.”
“That theory fits the inspection, but not the investigation.”
“Wallace might have been concerned we would be held up while they investigated.”
“I guess so. Still don’t like it. Something is afoot.”
“Yes, I agree there is lots more to this than is on the surface.”
“Like what?”
Dukk said nothing.
“Mentor?” Annee asked.
Dukk was still unsure about how to respond.
“Do you think he might have got involved? He mentioned he knew people with respect to the passes for getting out of the citadel. That requires influence.”
“It was odd behaviour, that is true,” Dukk replied.
“We should ask him?”
“We’ve had a conversation of sorts already. After the breech. He is tight lipped. No, I don’t think we’ll learn anything more from him at this stage.”
“You have a plan?”
Dukk smiled.
“The run this afternoon, with Marr and Luna,” Annee said. “You plan to use the time in their old domain to see if you can learn more about what is going on or at least what the story with Mentor is.”
Dukk smiled again.
“By the way, have the dreams changed?”
“Nope,” answered Dukk. “Still the same. Climbing the mountain. Others around me and I am carrying something.”
“There you are?” came a voice from the aft ladder shaft door. It was Luna. “The automatics are nearly finished upstairs. What is next?”
“I’ll help you bring them to the hold,” Annee answered. “We have time to give that space a once over too.”
“Perfect,” Luna replied.
Annee smiled at Dukk as she followed Luna back down the corridor.

(to be continued...)

[Rule of Twelve, Double Take, Chapter 23 - Pivoting (Passage 3 of 5)]

All Rights Reserved. Copyright © 2022 BJ Allen