Lines Crossed Chapter Eight
GRID Traveler Trinity: Lines Crossed
Author: J Carrell Jones
Table of Content
Chapter 8
Chapter 8
Adriana was unpacking when she heard the chime. She was sharing a four bunk bed room with three other transfers. Chris was assigned to Medical. Her first impression of him was good. His quick-wit came out minutes after meeting and he had an immediate way of setting those around him at ease. She’d probably like him the most, maybe. Latasha was from Navigation. She was tall with rich black hair. Her skin was smooth and she had an accent that just couldn’t be tied down easily. She was intense but not intimidating. Karolina was from Medical. She had pretty grey eyes that stood out against her dark skin. Adriana thought her exquisite. She loved her melodic voice.
The chime again. Adriana walked to the door and opened it. The Sean stood there in front of her. He was an imposing figure in her eyes.
“Captain!” she fumbled, “please enter. How may I help you?”
Sean stepped in and looked around. “Adriana, is it?”
She nodded.
“Quarters to your liking? Met your bunkmates yet?”
She nodded, “Yes, sir . . . and yes sir.”
He turned and faced her.
She nearly lost her breath. Not quite swooning.
“You look very familiar; perchance I’ve met your parents?”
“Maybe. My father disappeared during the SI wars. My Mother did a lot of traveling before I was born. They met at the Faulkner Colonies.”
Sean smiled. Amazing he thought. She really did look like Adruqu. He could come out and just ask if she knew her. He could also ask if she knew magick, but that would make him sound like a nut. He suddenly doubted his reasoning for intruding. “I really didn’t want to intrude . . .”
“Not at all Captain!”
“. . . but you reminded me of someone I know. Don’t think your Captain crazy . . .”
“Of course, not!”
Sean thought himself crazy. “Ensign, walk with me, please.”
She paused. There was something she had to remember, something very important. Seconds ticked by as she thought hard.
Sean turned around, “Is there something wrong Ensign?”
Panic was creeping to the edge awareness. “Ummm, no, sir. There’s something I just need to find.” She quickly looked around.
Sean started to step back into the room.
Just as panic was about to cross over to full consciousness she remembered. “Sorry, sir! I remember.” She quickly went through her flight bag and found it. A letter her Mother gave her. “Ready, sir.” She hastily left the room.
Sean eyed the young ensign. She was cute, maybe a bit airy. From her files he would be hard pressed to do better. He nodded and took Adriana to Starboard’s Bow. His usual table was empty. He personally hoped it was not because Rank Doth Have Its Privileges, but knew exactly it was the case.
Cookie greeted the two, Cap’n, Ensign Newton.”
Sean turned to Cookie, you know the Ensign?”
Cookie smiled, “I have a good memory Cap’n. The Commander lets me read the transfer list and bios so I know who’s allergic to what foods. Luckily, we got good stock this time around. I don’t have to do any scolding or mother henning.” He laughed.
Sean thought maybe he should talk to Dawn about Cookie. Apparently there were things about the man he didn’t know about.
“So, what would you like, sir and Ensign Miss?”
“Coffee for me, Cookie.”
He nodded.
“Cranberry Juice?” She waited to be disappointed.
Cookie smiled wide. “Stocked up yesterday. You’ll be pretty much the only one drinking it.”
Adriana beamed.
Cookie stepped away.
“I read your Bios, Ensign. Very interesting. Your Mother drove you pretty hard academically.”
Adriana nodded, “Yes, sir., she did. Most days I hated it. Don’t get me wrong, but you know, as a kid I wanted to do kid things . . .”
Sean listened and became fascinated. Adriana really lived a human life or she was a pathological liar.
“ . . . I did most of my college years . . . “
Sean interrupted, “Amazing . . .”
“Pardon sir?”
“College by ten and not just easy subjects.”
Adriana blushed. She knew where this was going. Mother, education, the religion, but she was prepared. Mother made sure of that. The Captain asked the right questions and she hit the right marks every time.
A few minutes later Cookie came back with a tall frosted glass of Cranberry juice. He placed it in front of Adriana. Sean’s coffee was on a small tray. A cut lemon, small containers of sugar and cream were next to the cup. Cookie placed it carefully in front of Sean. A nice wisp of steam rose from the cup. Then Sean noticed the letter. “Ensign, I have to ask. Have you ever heard of The Most High?”
She smiled slightly. Her Mother was right again. Adriana nodded, “Yes, sir. The best known secret in all of GRID.”
Sean laughed.
“I’m not a follower per se. My Mother was a local Goddess, but she had incredible influence over regional matters.”
“I see.” Sean’s eyed the letter.
Adriana held it out for Sean to accept.
“And this Ensign?”
“This was passed down to family members from my Great-grandmother. The envelope has never been opened but it is addressed to you, sir.”
Sean exclaimed “I knew it!”
Adriana was startled. “Excuse me, sir?”
Sean eyed the young girl. “This is from Adruqu?”
Adriana went wide-eyed. “You know of my Great-grandmother?”
“Know of her? I’ve met her!”
“Impossible, sir!” Adriana said, “She’s been dead over a hundred years. She . . .”
“Not impossible, Ensign. Why are you here? Adruqu sent you, didn’t she?” Sean’s temperature rose. He was angry now. “What’s her plan?”
Adriana thought things had horribly gone wrong. The Captain was angry and saying things that made no sense to her. She remained silent.
Sean’s first thought was to tear the envelope to shreds. “Ensign,” he said between clenched teeth, “why are you here?”
“S-sir?”
“Again, why are you here?”
Adriana’s mind raced. Mother said nothing of this. She was wholly not prepared for an angry Captain. “T – t - to . . . to. . . serve, sir.”
Adriana was appalled. It sounded so pathetic. She cleared her throat. “To serve.” She repeated.
Sean considered ordering her off the Johnson. She was part of some Necronian scheme. What pissed him off more was the thought of Adruqu thinking she could manipulate the situation. Then Sean remembered the letter. He held the now crushed envelope in his hand. It wasn’t heavy, just felt different. The feel of paper was strange to him. This particular piece felt smoother than what he remembered old paper felt like. He turned the envelope over and looked at the red wax seal. The imprint of a three quarter view of the Johnson was unmistakable. Sean broke the seal and pulled a letter out. The paper was parchment-like. The linen threads were tightly woven of which Sean was certain not of Earth product. The first line took him off guard.
Adriana watched as Sean read the letter. His expression changed from anger and disgust to disbelief to doubt to surprise to acceptance. He looked directly into her eyes and smiled.
“I think you should read this and I am sorry, Adriana. Seems you are just as much a pawn in this as I am.”
She took the letter and read it.:
To my dearest Sean Blakemore,
Please don’t be mad at our great grand-daughter Adriana. She is innocent and knows nothing that has transpired between us. My main purpose has been to help you in any way I can. You’ve touched my heart in ways I’ve forgotten existed, so in return I give you Adriana, our great grand-daughter. She, of course, may choose her life as she sees fit, but she is a part of you – our product of union.
Sean, my love, guide her, help her, she is her own person, but now she is your family. In the future days of your new destiny she will help you through great adversity and odds no other Human would be able to overcome. Accept her as your own.
With eternal and infinite love from your absent concomitant,
Adruqu
Adriana looked up. “Sir? Grandfather?”
“Of which you will never call me.” Sean said sternly.
“How? When?”
“It’s a long story, Ensign. Not many people are privy to it, but it looks like you’ll be one more added.”