"Star Base 157. Phoenix Colony flight Alpha 469, requesting permission to dock."
Marcus waited for a response, feeling more rested than he had in ages. Dr. Delilah Blue
Sat quietly in the co-pilot seat seeming lost in thought.
"Phoenix Flight A469, stand by." came a curt response.
"That doesn't sound friendly." Marcus said.
"You expected warm greetings? From a Federation base?..... We're being scanned." Delilah answered, watching the readouts in front of her. "Hope you don't have anything to hide."
"Nope...I think you've seen everything."
Delilah chuckled but kept the come back to herself.
"Phoenix Flight A469 you are cleared for docking port 69B. Please release control of you ship to us."
Marcus keyed the command. "You have it SB157."
The channel closed without further comment. Gently the Marquis ship was drawn down into the center docking bays. The command structure towering over them.
It took half an hour to secure the ship. Marcus got up, "You bring anything nice to wear?"
"Are you taking me out?" Delilah asked getting up behind him.
"Last public place Rana was seen was Vernichi's. Good a place as any to start."
He went to a closet in the back and pulled out a suit. As began changing he watched Delilah pull a gown from her bag.
"Well, turn around."
"Seriously?" he smiled.
"Unless you're a doctor in the practice of healing. Turn around please."
He did as he was told. Delilah really was not that modest, but she enjoyed the tease.
In no time the pair were making their way around the main corridor, her hand on his elbow. They watched the crowd each making their own assessment.
"Seems to be a lot of uniforms." Delilah pointed out.
"Yes, and what else do you notice about them?"
She watched a group of young officers march by. "Rather serious lot, aren't they?"
"Exactly, not a smile to be seen anywhere. Doesn't look right. These guys should be on shore leave, why are they not having a good time?"
They come up to Vernichi's. the Head waiter escorted them to a window seat and left them to review the wine list.
****
Dinner came, drinks followed, small talk filling the spaces between mouthfuls of rare steak and crisp vegetables.
"So Rana left here and went straight to her ship. Ahead of schedule." Delilah asked.
"Yes, question is, why?"
"She got some news, she was alone? Probably watching a news feed. What was on the news at that hour?"
Marcus pulled his data pad and started making quires.
"Here is. Only minutes before she paid the bill, an item on the ONN Entertainment news about Fren's death."
"Then that confirms your theory. She was afraid that who ever hired Fren, though contacting her, would come looking for her."
"There still has been no word of her at any point she could have shown up by now."
"You think she's ....dead?"
"I think it does look good. He continued to work his data pad. Here...a private ship left docking bay 12 half an hour after her. No other ships left for another 6 hours."
"A tail."
Marcus got up. "Lets go see the bay she left from."
They got up, Marcus paying the bill. "I'm not exactly dressed to snooping around a docking bay." Delilah protested.
'It'll do." Marcus lead the way.
"I'll do?" she whispered. "This is my best party dress"
Half and hour later and several decks down Marcus and Delilah entered Docking bay 16. It stood empty, but they could see two Federation Star Ships entering the bay area.
"More troops." Delilah pointed out.
"Yes. Seems the Federation is making quite a presence."
He looked over to a pile of crates against a bulkhead and walked over. They were all empty, needing to be removed. Marcus pulled one back and looked for the packing list on the side. "Two Foster Phase Cannons." he said out loud.
Delilah came over, "What did you say?"
Marcus stood up, rubbing his beard, looking around. "Two Foster Phase Cannons. Installed sometime recently."
"I'm not familiar with those. ...they new?"
"State of the art."
"Something Rana would want then."
"Something one should be very, very careful installing. My last encounter with one blew my ship out of the sky, And I was the one flying with it." He now had his first hard link to himself, and danger seemed much more real.
"She should not have had any difficulty defending herself with those."
"If they were installed right...no she shouldn't."
Just then a squat little man entered the bay. He stopped when he saw Marcus and Delilah.
"You can't be in here!" he ordered.
Marcus started walking toward him. "those crates...you know anything about them?"
The man looked nervously at the crates. 'No...other than I'm suppose to clean this bay up...and you're in the way."
Delilah's antenna twitched. "He's lying."
"Yea, I think so." he pulled a 20th century Berretta from his coat pocket and pointed it at the man.
"What the hell is that?" he laughed.
"This. This is called a gun. You see, if I were to use a phaser in here, Security would pick it up and there would be guards down here in seconds. But this. This is so old the scanners won't pick it up. And if I use it... they won't find your body for hours. Now, you will kindly come with us for a bit."
"Come with you where?"
"My ship, where we can talk in private. Where you might feel more...open."
As they left the bay Delilah was more and more impressed with this Marcus Dinn. And sooo thankful she had not ruined her dress.
Marcus Dinn
Owner of RICKS and Oz
Phoenix Colony
Phoenix Federation
Lieutenant Commander Dr. Delilah Blue
Medical Officer, USS Prometheus
