Page 17 of Life-Debt

“We shall make certain your companion is entertained for the duration of your quarantine period. How long will it be to get your ships operational? We noticed you had entered neutral for an engine check.”

“It’s protocol for an engine fresh out of repairs,” I assured him. “If you have a proper tug, the engines don’t even need to be functional beyond idle thrust, which is in working order.”

“We brought a tug with us.”

“Be gentle with the docking, as your cargo is loose in the bay. A lot of the shiftgem systems were damaged, and the tethers were non-operational when I boarded the ship. As the shiftgems are well-packed, this isn’t an issue, but the system is throwing warnings, and the engines will not go above minimal thrust until those warnings are addressed. I will begin the process of disengaging from the freighter.”

“Thank you, sir,” he replied.

“Viva, please. Captain Viva if you enjoy being formal.”

“I am Pollwin as said by most homo sapiens.”

Considering Cremorans had tentacles just about everywhere, including their mouths, his name likely involved squishes, whistles, and trumpets, something my species couldn’t readily duplicate. However, I’d learned that most species appreciated effort. “I would be honored with the teaching of your proper name.”

Pollwin chuckled. “You must have scored exceptionally well during your xenodiversity licensing.”

“The squishes are hard to duplicate, but I’ve mastered quite a few Veloc trills, some of the hoots, and I can even do a reasonable throat-grumble. As long as you don’t do the low-tone thrum as part of your name, I can improvise.”

Pollwin made a short trill followed with three short hoots and an amusing squish, one a human tongue could replicate. I giggled, and as I had bothered to learn some of the basic greetings in other languages, I greeted him in his tongue with his name.

“That goes far beyond improvisation, Captain Viva. Well learned, well done. How much Veloci do you speak?”

“Enough for conversation, although I am book taught; chances to speak directly to a Veloc are few and far between. I’m a generational homo sapiens, so the instructors tried to keep a certain amount of separation. This annoyed me, so I opted to take extended xenodiversity courses. I travel. That means I will meet other species.”

“And you’re considered unusual for homo sapiens, so you are a target for trafficking systems. Having a good xenodiversity rating protects you.”

That it did. “It helps when you have extra registrations. So far, my registrations and licensing have done a tolerable job of keeping trouble at bay.”

“Before we begin towing, can you inform us on the condition of the cargo?”

“I rummaged through the cargo in search of appropriate crystals and parts to repair the engine, so it’s a mess. I have no way of knowing if anything is amiss. There is also no way of knowing if anything was tampered with after the various systems went down.”

“Corruption is always a possibility, and knowing which member of the crew went into stasis is very helpful. Once the ship has been fumigated and quarantined, we will do an investigation.”

“I will begin the detachment process now, and I will move my ship clear of the freighter’s space. I have a link and can operate the ship’s engines remotely. Any linker can handle the work, although I’m familiar with the drive’s current setup. I had to change crystal colors to bring the ship back into an operational state. Do impress upon the Cremora Deltans that brown shiftgem drives are not suitable for space travel of this nature. I recommend you use the crystal set I installed in a better engine or do a parts change to better work with the new set.”

Pollwin hooted a laugh. “Spoken like a true traveler of the stars. I will make certain they are aware that your opinions are sound and should be listened to with upmost respect. It takes quite some skill to replace the colors of the drive. What color did you install in the freighter?”

“Tri-color,” I admitted. “It was the most versatile of the shiftgem crystals available compatible with the gate.”

“And your engine’s core?”

“I also use tri-color for the same reason, although affordability was a factor. Tri-color has more versatility than even blacks, and I haven’t met a shiftgem gate I haven’t been able to handle yet. I would use a rainbow black set if I could get my hands on one, but the waitlist is as long as the price is high.”

“It takes a skilled captain to make use of a rainbow black set.”

That it did, as the gems were innately flawed and the prismatic nature of the stones meant versatility and volatility. “I’ve been flying solo for a while now. And I keep a spare set of low-grade crystals on board in case of trouble.” Every smart captain did. “Do your ships come with test engines for training purposes?”

“We have training simulators and test sets. Why?”

“My patient would like to learn how to work with crystal installations, and while I taught him the basics on my equipment, I have the feeling he would like the training to be able to prevent another disaster in the future. If you don’t cut the quarantine period short, I’m capable of teaching him enough to restore life support and comm systems at a minimum on the basic types. It will not erase the trauma he’s endured, but it will do a great deal of good at preventing certain symptoms from manifesting.”

For a long moment, Pollwin remained silent. His sigh emerged as a low, almost mournful whistle. “I will make arrangements during the transit to our spaceport. It is only a few hours from here at moderate speed, which we can handle towing with ease. What is the speed capacity of your craft?”

“She’s a decent little racer,” I announced with pride in my voice. “I haven’t actually tested her maximum, but I’m sure I can keep up with your escort with no issues.”

“Please detach and stay nearby. We will arrange an escort specifically for your craft unless you would prefer to be towed to spare your engine?”