[17]
They arrived exactly two hours after communicating with the Gravediggers.
“Well dang!” Jimmy exclaimed at the sight of the giant, grey, state-of-the-art ship gliding effortlessly through the furious red-sand storm of Orpheus. Captain Derek had never seen anything like it, not even in the tech magazines about the newest ship trends he bought not so long ago. He squinted his eyes assessing the ship. All he could say for certain - it had cost a fortune. Not even the Government and its Military forces, the Ghouls, had technologies this advanced. Captain Derek frowned and exchanged looks with his crew.
Meanwhile the delegation from the Rebel ship demanded the permission to come aboard, which they were, of course, granted.
The Gravediggers stood observing a group of five men and five women entering the bridge. All of them young, stately, and impeccably attired in grey space suits. The Gravedigger crew appeared like a shabby band of misfits comparing to this perfection.
“Greetings, Captain Derek and the Gravedigger crew of Vulture05,” said the leader of the Rebel delegation, a tall, blond man, “we have been informed there are 20 Gravediggers, 1 physician and 1 Rebel ally on this ship.”
“Greetings. It’s 19. We lost a man. Also, we have a badly injured Murblard as a passenger.”
“A Murblard? Any more dangerous pets on your ship we should know about?” The man’s tone turned from formal to snarky. Derek didn’t like the change. Murblards were not considered pets where he came from, but he knew the Rebels didn’t think much of them. But before Derek had answered, Sophie stepped forward from behind him.
“No pets. But a human child,” she said staring straight into the man’s eyes. “Greetings, Jerome. I didn’t expect you’ll arrive to Vulture yourself.”
Suddenly Derek comprehended - the man’s eyes were as blue as Annouk’s.
The man, Jerome, swallowed hard. Derek noticed he tried to keep calm in front of his fellow Rebels, but a certain nervousness in his face gave him out.
“As soon as you identified yourself, I volunteered to assist the crew of Vulture05. I’m… I’m glad that you’re alive.”
“Oh? Are you?” Sophie couldn’t hide her anger.
“Not here. We will discuss this after you and Vulture05 are transported to a safe territory,” Jerome regained his formal tone.
He and the Rebels assessed the state of the old Gravedigger ship, they filled it with fuel and suggested to tow it to the nearest Rebel settlement. Captain Derek agreed.
“If you wish, I invite you and the child to join me on Brutus800,” Jerome told Sophie, pointing at the giant Rebel ship.
“Thank you for the kind offer, but I will stay with my husband,” Sophie replied spitefully, clutching Derek’s arm.
“I see,” Jerome said after a short pause. He marched out the bridge hurriedly with his team of perfect men and women trying hard to keep up with his hasty stride.
***
“I don’t like this not one bit, Cap,” said Jimmy after they’d been flying behind the Rebel ship Brutus800, “maybe we could make a break for it, now that we have fuel…”
“That’s a bad idea, Jimmy. I don’t like this either, but we need help and staying with the Rebels is our only option now, “ Derek replied, whilst steering his ship.
“Damn pretty boy didn’t seem happy about you taking his gal,” Jimmy said with a grin.
“He made his choice when he left her to die months ago,” Derek replied not taking his eyes off the Brutus800 towing them. Vulture05 looked like a tiny, old toy spaceship flying behind this giant.
“Dang! Well said, Cap!” Jimmy grunted, scratching his head.