Lines Crossed Chapter Two
GRID Traveler Trinity: Lines Crossed
Author: J Carrell Jones
Table of Content
Chapter 2
Chapter 2
Sean sat in Starboard’s Bow. Cookie greeted him and served up a new batch of Skilly. Sean always knew the last batch would be the best, but Cookie just kept making superior comfort food. Even though Johnson was at Space dock, most of the crew had at least one meal on board the Johnson. Some had all three. And that made Cookie very happy. Today was no exception.
“Captain,” Cookie began, “we got a batch of lobster tails from Earth . . .”
“Lobster? Cookie! You’re going to spoil us.”
Cookie laughed, “I aim too, Cap’n, I aim too. I was thinking of making a Lobster Bisque for the crew and Lobster Thermidor for the officers.”
Sean licked his lips, “Goddess Cookie, you got me salivating already. How many days to eat we get?”
“The Officers two meals. The crew I can stretch to six meals. Leftovers will make it to Skilly.”
Sean smiled, “Sounds good to me. When can the crew be treated?”
Cookie’s smiled broadly, “Tonight for both messes.”
“Thanks, Cookie. I’ll dine at the Officer’s mess tonight.”
“Very good, Cap’n. Dr. Loggar will be with you?”
Sean pursed his lips.
Cookie thought, ‘Oh no, Goddess and the Cap’n had a spat.’
“Not sure, Cookie.”
Cookie nodded, “Very well, sir. Is there anything I can get you? More Skilly? Maybe I can drop some lobster meat just for you?”
Sean smiled, “And have the crew riot because I bumped the line? I’ll wait my turn like everyone else.”
Cookie nodded, “Sir. By your leave, then.”
Sean nodded, “Carry on, Cookie.”
Loggar found Sean in Starboard’s Bow talking to Cookie. She waited until they finished. She slowly walked up next to Sean and sat down.
Loggar cleared her throat. “Sean, may we talk?”
He slowly turned his head toward her. “Depends.”
Loggar chanced a smile. Sean did not return it. “Sorry.”
“About?”
“Sounding like a mad scientist.”
Sean nodded, “Very.”
“Please understand, Sean. I’ve been pursuing Magick all my life. I . . . we are so close to understanding what the Necronians have. We are on the verge of an evolutionary leap with this new technology . . .”
“Kathy, the SI war. Lest we forget.”
“No, I haven’t forgotten, it’s just that . . .”
“Just that technology turned on us. We lost millions of lives because we figured out how to make that same evolutionary leap.” He stared into her eyes. His expression turned dark. “We were so close to understanding the technology. We were so close, oh so close.”
Loggar remained silent. Sean’s words bit deep, but she had to keep her eyes on the prize.
Sean continued, “Kathy, I lost friends because of technology. I suffered for years . . .”
“But, Sean, this is different.”
“How so? Agegi different? Randals different?”
“No, that was a mistake . . .”
“That I’d rather not repeat. How can you be sure this won’t be redux?”
“I can’t,” Loggar finally said. “I can’t okay?” Tears were starting to form. “I can’t . . .” She trailed off.
Sean’s heart was pained. He wanted to hold his love and comfort her and tell her it was okay. It wasn’t. He wouldn’t. Not this time. He couldn’t. Not yet. “Kathy . . . My Goddess . . . I have to be certain.” And he leaned over and kissed her on the forehead. Sean couldn’t walk away without doing that much.
Cookie stood in the shadows with tears in his eyes. Goddess is crying, but Cap’n must be hurting more. He must.