The Disciple and Other Stories of the Paranormal (6 page)

WAITING

The ship floated in space. Systems were shut
down, all but the beacon. Nothing else needed power or protection
from the vast emptiness.

The ship floated patiently. Waiting.

Helene checked the systems. Only a few days
away from Earth Solar now. She was in the dead zone – no solar
systems, no asteroids, not even any passing comets. Just dark,
empty space.

She stretched, made sure the autopilot was
on and all sensors set to identify the smallest issue, stood,
stretched some more, then headed back to the galley. She made
herself a bowl of noodles. Dull and tasteless, but cheap. She
needed to be cheap.

Her only companion stirred. His eyes glowed
red. “Ah. Helene. Do you require assistance?”

“
No. You can power down
again.”

“
How long now?”

“
Tired of waiting,
Bin?”

“
I’m a machine. I don’t
grow tired.”

“
Bored, then?”

“
Not bored, either. I’m
not programmed for boredom. That’s a human thing.”

“
True.” Helene cleaned the
bowl and put it away. She went to her bunk and turned on the
holograph. The picture was grainy – it had traveled a long
distance. She stared at the image as the sound came on.

“…
as you can see, your
husband remains healthy within our correctional
facility.”

Ric didn’t look healthy. Every time she saw
him, he looked a little thinner, a little more haggard. A little
more desperate and ready to die, both. He was still handsome, still
looked strong, though not as strong as he had been. Helene wondered
what he’d think she looked like now. She was more muscled than when
he’d been arrested, but she didn’t look in mirrors too often. There
was no reason out here in the emptiness.

“
We commend you for your
recent salvage. In due time, your account will be brought to rights
and your husband will be freed.” It had been three years so far.
They’d given her a decent, one-man and one-robot ship and simple
orders – find all the useful scrap or salvage she could on the
outer reaches of space, bring them back to Earth. Earn enough, get
your husband, and your life, back.

“
We are waiting for your
next delivery with much anticipation. You are by far our best
salvage expert. We would be willing to offer you a permanent
position once your debts are paid. We will wait for your
reply.”

Waiting. It was all she and Ric had done for
three years. The Earth government could wait for their answer. She
wasn’t in a position to give them the answer she wanted.

Helene went back to the bridge. Bin
followed. She checked the sensors. Nothing. She boosted the reach.
She had almost enough in her cargo bay. But interest added onto the
debt and she figured she needed more than almost or just enough.
She needed something big, something that would force Earth to clear
their debt and let Ric go.

“
Nothing.” She sighed.
“I’m tired of waiting, Bin.”

“
I understand.” He put a
metal hand on her shoulder.

The ship’s autopilot program spoke. “Faint
signal discovered, rimwards.”

“
Boost further, all power
towards the sound,” Helene said. She listened. “That sounds like…a
distress signal.”

She and Bin looked at each other. “Who would
be out this far?” Bin asked.

“
Another scavenger,
maybe.” She wasn’t the only one pressed into this service, after
all.

“
Could be a pirate
trap.”

“
Could be, but what kind
of pirate would be out here?”

“
Records indicate ancient
Earth myths feel ships will be on the edges,” Bin
replied.

“
What kinds of
ships?”

“
Dangerous ones. Manned
by…Dutch men?” They both exchanged a look. “Myths are usually based
in some fact,” Bin said. It didn’t sound defensive, but that level
of programming was beyond the kind of robot Earth had given her.
She chuckled anyway. “Or,” Bin added, “stranded ones, those that
have already been attacked.”

“
Or other ships that have
misjudged their power charges.” She shook her head. “I wouldn’t
want to be waiting out here near the galactic rim for
help.”

She programmed the computer to lock onto the
signal and head towards it, but to stop outside of laser cannon
range. Then she settled into the pilot’s chair, leaned back, and
went to sleep.

A persistent beeping woke her up. “Coming up
on distressed spacer,” the autopilot advised.

Helene rubbed her eyes and flipped controls
to manual. She cut engines and drifted towards their target.
Sensors showed nothing but the one ship. “No traps,” she
murmured.