Eagle X, Mission 21: CTRL

Part 10: Liam

Leaning back into the furry cushion of the long couch, Liam nibbled at the sandwich provided by the Song Brother's chef. Beside him sat Dr. Leasia, a short human woman with long curly turquoise pigtails. Her oversized coveralls and gloves made her look tiny in her corner of the couch. The filthy lab coat and heavy boots on her feet seemed to be the only parts of her attire originally belonging to the woman. Pale skin hinted at a colonial lineage and an imminent need of UV rich outdoor activity.

The other chairs in the lounge were occupied by her fellow refugees as were the seats in the adjacent room. Scott sat cross legged on the floor against the far wall, practicing the meditation exercises Ivory and Dr. Ho had encouraged. Nubia and Blockade leaned against the nearby wall, watching. Skepticism was always healthy when dealing with possible hortisk imposters. Hitman stood by the viewport watching the black void.

The atmosphere was one of misery. In their desperate flight from the facility, the scientist had left behind friends and loved ones. They'd been a close knit community. Everyone was touched by a loss of some kind. Liam couldn't help but see the similarity between them and his people back on the mini-station. If disaster struck, how many would get away? How bad would their casualties be...

"What about the data, Dr. Leasia?" One of the refugees asked. "That was more than a decade's worth of research." He rubbed his eyes, cheeks still stained with tears.

"We backed up what we could," she said, leaning forward to squeeze the man's hand. "All isn't lost. We'll rebuild and try again, Harden."

"How? It will take at least half as much time to recoup our losses."

"And what of the specimens?" asked an older gentleman from the other side of the room.

Murmurs spread throughout the group.

"What of your lives, foolish people?" Nubia interrupted, silencing the room.

Liam and Scott shared a meaningful look. This mission was the former pirate's initiation. As far as Liam was concerned, Nubia was making the decision an easy one. His partner had misgivings about Blockade, but the two came as a pair. Liam and Scott would have to leave the choice to the brains of their operation. Whenever she got back.

"She's right. The data can be restored, the facility rebuilt, but the lives can not be replaced." Dr. Leasia stood up. "If it wasn't for you people, we might not have reached this lifeboat alive. On behalf of Corgis Adar Tech, thank you."

Liam noticed the other scientists immediately mimicked her sentiment. They followed her lead without question.

"No need to thank us," he ventured. "We were merely doing what we were paid to do."

Dr. Leasia's face went through a series of emotions, from disappointment to acceptance. Interesting.

"So you people work for the Song Brothers?" she asked. Her shoulders slumped, creating the image of her oversized clothes dragging her down to the ground.

"We're private contractors." Liam patted the couch. "You've been through quite an ordeal. Have a seat."

She smiled and paced a circuit back and forth in front of him.

"So, hiring you for an asset recovery job might not be out of the question?" The hope in her eyes shined bright. "We couldn't pay you upfront, but there was more than enough onsite that could fetch a fair market value. If you're willing to take installments, I'm sure we could even generate a bit of income from our existing research."

Hitman and Nubia listened intently and observed. Liam realized he wasn't the only one doing team assessment.

"Wait. You're getting way ahead of yourself, Doctor..."