Captain Emrah Jackson Ch. 10

"Well, we better get this over with," she said, and gestured for me to follow her.

There were six servants in the dining room. All of them had been slaves like me, and now they weren't wearing collars either. Two of Delphine's crew were in there with them.

She nodded towards me suggesting I stand with them. Their faces looked just as shocked as I had been.

"You're all free now." Delphine said. "You have two choices. You can either come with us, but that will mean a hard and dangerous life. Or you can go with a member of my crew. They will take you to a safe-haven that is in UEN space. I can't promise that you will be safe forever, but it's the best I can offer for now."

A few words were shared between the servants, and all but one of them decided to go to the safe-haven.

Delphine looked at me waiting for my answer. I didn't want to go to some strange place, this ship and the planet I lived on was the only home I ever knew. There were other reasons I was staying too.

"I will join you." I said to her, and she smiled.

One of the crew ushered the servants out of the room, leaving me and an older looking man. He was our chef. There was always a smile when he served our food. I was glad he was staying.

The remaining crew man came over and shook my hand, and said he was looking forward to getting to know me.

As he did the same to the chef, suddenly there was a struggle. The chef was trying to grab the laser pistol that the crewman had stuck in his belt. It was no use, they couldn't stop him. Delphine screamed at him to stop, but it was too late. The chef pressed the muzzle to his own chest and pulled the trigger. There was a loud bang, and he shot a bolt of high energy through his body. He was dead before he hit the floor.

I was stunned, and unable to speak. Delphine rushed to me and wrapped her arms around me.

"It happens," she said. "We should have guessed."

She told me that sometimes the thought of recapture was so strong that often slaves would rather face death.

I sobbed into her chest. He was such a nice man. I wished I could have stopped him.

*********

It was such a different world I was in now. Alien and full of new rules, and new consequences. I stayed close to Delphine. She was my only anchor in this new life.

We were on the bridge, as she supervised the repair of the yacht. A ship I hadn't seen before docked to us, and collected the servants who had chosen their new life in UEN space. I was given one last chance to go with them, and then it was gone.

I asked her if they would be safe, and she told me they would be. Sometimes bounty hunters might go looking, but it wasn't likely for them.

Part of her seemed proud that I stayed. It was as if she thought I was choosing her over my old life.

I couldn't leave Orton. I still hadn't seen him, and not asked further about his whereabouts.

One of the female crew came in and handed Delphine a list. It was a manifest of the yacht's cargo. Delphine scanned down it, frowning from time to time. Then she stopped.

"Hilox worms?" She asked, and the other woman nodded.

She turned to me and asked where Orton had got them from?

I shrugged, I wasn't sure. I wanted to be helpful, and searched for something to say.

"He was going to use the on Juno." I said.

"He was what?" Delphine said, her face covered with shock.

"It's okay." I said. "He told me they were harmless, they would calm her down."

Her face was a scowl, and I was worried that I had said the wrong thing. She dropped the list, and stalked off the bridge. I went to follow, but the other woman stopped me.

"Just give her some time," she said.

I waited and waited. I wasn't sure what was going on. I asked the woman what had made her so mad, but she told me that she wasn't sure what was going on either.

"Sometimes, you need to stay out of the Captain's way."

About an hour later she returned. Her demeanor hadn't softened at all.

She turned me towards the screen, and told me to watch. Then she said a few words on her communicator.

The cargo bay appeared. Then I noticed Orton, he was huddled into the corner. He wasn't bound or restrained in any way.

"What are you doing?" I asked.

"Just watch." Delphine said, quietly.

I could see him clearly, he didn't look like he had been harmed, but he was frightened of something. Then I saw it. It was a perspex box that held the worms.

"Like you say, he was going to do this to Juno," she said, then said something on her communicator.

The box popped open, and I got a terrible feeling.

"Please stop." I begged. She didn't move.

I saw the worms, snaking out of the box towards Orton. He stood up and started to scream. There was no sound but I saw his mouth agape.

My body started to shake. I wanted to go to him. If I could just get to the cargo bay. Delphine held me firmly. It was the first time she had ever showed me anything other than affection. Why was she doing this.

"Watch," she said, again.

They slithered towards him, and he tried to dodge out of the way, but they were jumping at him cutting off any escape. It was horrifying watching them. Then they started wrapping themselves around his limbs.

I begged Delphine to stop, but she stayed silent.

Another worm was around his throat. He looked so scared and alone.

Eventually they overcame him, and he fell onto his side.

I tried to get out of her grip, but she was too strong.

"Cut the feed," she said finally, and wrapped her arms around me.

It was so awful, I felt the tears coming again. She was right, they looked awful. How could he have done that to Juno.

"He said, they were harmless." I said, through sobs. She hugged me, and told me it was going to be okay from now on.

I had no one now. He was my life, and he was gone. Part of me knew that he deserved it. My life was changing so much, I had to change with it.

Delphine held me tightly, and it felt good to have some human comfort.

"Give it an hour, and then flush the body into space," Delphine casually said, to one of her crew.