Project Unity

Chapter 18

"It's a trap Meng! How can you not see that?!" Brandon shouted. "This is a bad idea, you'll show up and they'll arrest you."

"And if they do, everything is already in motion. My arrest will not stop the progress of anything." Meng said calmly. The strike, the boycotts, everything had snowballed very quickly with only a small push now and then from him. Word of mouth and sympathy had done far more than his speeches ever could. "It's worth the risk Brandon."



Brandon growled, he actually growled at Meng, and then stormed out of the room. Lana looked from the door to Meng uncomfortably, "It could be a trap you know." she said quietly.

"Arresting me would only make their situation worse." Meng said. "They know that as well as we do. It would make me some sort of martyr and they don't want that anymore than I do."

------

Freya, Hapsberg and the young engineer were huddled together looking over the computer. They talked quickly and every once in awhile the translator was unable to keep up with the alien's tongue. The three of them would laugh together when this happened before returning their attention to the computer screen.

"We've never encountered this kind of technology." Freya said, with awe in her voice. "It's incredible."

"If it works it will be incredible." Hapsberg said, she looked at the engineer and shrugged. "No offense but this wasn't intended for a human being, I don't know that I'm willing to put Mr. Ice through yet another surgery with such a risk."



"I understand." she nodded. "I just want to help, your crew has been very kind to us, I wish to help." she looked past them toward where her younger sister looked on disapprovingly. "It is not our way but I think it is yours..."

"We could leave it up to Julian." Freya ventured.

Hapsberg mulled the options over. "We'll be at the space port in a few hours; there's no way we can do this before you and your people leave though."

"This research...this information...is for you. You can use it anytime you like." she said. "I would be no good in your operating room anyway. I am engineer."

"Thank you." Freya said. "Thank you for the information, I hope we can put it to use. But even if we can't it was very kind of you."

------

Several people had gathered around the viewports as the ship approached the large sprawling space port. The port spanned over space like an intergalactic thoroughfare and there were dozens of ships; though the Ark was by far one of the largest. "Wow." Freya said as she gazed out the port. She was flanked by a couple of nurses that had stepped out of the ward with her to watch. "Sometimes I forget we're in space..."



"How can you forget we're in space?" one of them asked with a laugh. "We live on a space ship."

"I just mean that our whole lives, our parents lives, grandparents and so on ...it's always been here. None of us have ever lived on a planet so living in space is just natural to us...it's in the back of my mind somewhere, just don't think of it much." Freya shrugged. "And then I see this and it's...it's just wow..."

"I get what you mean doctor." the other nurse said. "I've never been planet side, I've never been off this ship so I get what you mean."

"You think any of the other people on those ships out there have lived their whole lives on a ship?" Freya mused aloud. No one replied but no answer was really necessary.

------

"It's been a pleasure to have you with us." Captain Hunt lied to the Ambassador and the other alien crew.



"Thank you for your assistance Captain." the Ambassador said. They watched as their broken ship was hauled with tractor beams from the Ark's bay by other vessels. They turned and left through an airlock to a waiting shuttle before saying anything else. Hunt waited until the shuttle had departed before breathing a sigh of relief; one he'd been holding in the whole time they were on board.

"Captain!" Andy exclaimed running up to him. She was out of breath, having run almost the whole way from engineering to the bridge and then here. "The aliens...where are they?" she looked around frantically.

"They just left Lieutenant," Captain Hunt said motioning toward the view where they could see their ship still being towed. "Thankfully." he tacked on with a small smile.

"But...damn!" she cursed a few times, a bad habit picked from Dex. "There was never anything wrong with their ship Captain!"

"Then why did they need a ride from us?" he asked, Andy didn't have the answer to that one.

------

"What do you mean without the suit?" Julian asked in shock. "You mean...just on my own?"



"Well there would something inside your body but not outside like the suit." Hapsberg explained. "We've sent the research to Commander Katou and to engineering to get their opinions Mr. Ice. But I wanted to keep you informed of the possibility."

"Wow, I mean I've just gotten used to the suit and having my mobility back..." Julian mused.

"You don't have to do this procedure, it would mean another surgery and it's alien technology - assuming we can even reproduce it based on what she gave us...there could be risks." Hapsberg felt she had to caution him.

"Right right. Well, I guess just let me know what you and the other brains come up with." he smirked at her. "I'm used to the suit but I wouldn't mind getting out of it either..."

Hapsberg nodded. "I'll keep you informed Mr Ice. Thank you for coming by." She watched him leave before returning her attention back to the screen. She barely had a chance to look at it when Freya came in.

"Did I just see Julian? Did you tell him about the procedure?" she looked out the door a bit anxiously.



Hapsberg nodded. "I told him we'd keep him up to date on things. He's considering things." she paused a moment until Freya actually turned her attention back toward her. "And the Captain wanted to see you, as soon as possible."

------

"Captain, you wanted to see me?" Freya asked. She glanced around the room and saw Bonwick, looking surly as ever as well as Julian's aunt. Freya had to resist the urge to frown at both of them and just nodded to Theresa Ice once before returning her attention to Captain Hunt.

"The Council," he motioned to Theresa, "has agreed to talk with the Sons of Liberty, in an effort to end the strike and restore peace." Freya sensed that Captain Hunt was cautious about this meeting as well.



She was about to let it slip that she already knew what he'd told her but realized it might not be entirely public knowledge. Last thing she wanted was everyone, especially those two women, thinking she was a member of the Sons of Liberty. "That's good news sir." she said.

"Yes, it is." Hunt said, though he didn't sound like he truly meant it. "They have requested your presence at the talks."

"They?" Freya asked not sure if he meant the Sons or the Council. Why would either of them need her there? "Sir, I'm a doctor not a..."

"Not a diplomat, I know. Nevertheless, you have been requested Doctor." Captain Hunt said.

"Then I guess I'll be there..." she said lamely. Behind her, Bonwick sneered and rolled her eyes.

"Very good Doctor." Captain Hunt said. "I will be sure you have the details, that's all."

------



Rob Jamison checked the conference room one last time, everything was in place. With a smile, he headed for the bridge. "Captain, everything is ready."

"Thank you Mr. Jamison. The bridge is yours." he said with a solemn nod before heading for the lift to take him to the conference room.

------

"Are you sure about this Meng? I mean really really sure?" Lana asked as she brushed a bit of lint off his shoulder. "If you get arrested...or killed..."



"These are peace talks Lana, I'm not walking to my execution." Meng said. He tugged at his jacket and nodded. "I'm sure, this is the best possible course of action." he paused and looked around the room, a couple other people were there to see him off, a few looked happy and hopeful like he was; others had the same fear in their face that Lana did. "Where's Brandon?" he asked, his brow furrowing. Everyone just shrugged.

------

"Why you Freya?" Julian asked again. "I mean I know you had some contact with them earlier but it's not like you're one of them....are you?"

"No, I'm not. And I don't know why - just know I was asked so..." Freya looked at her self in the mirror and frowned. "How do I look?"



"Beautiful as always." Julian said giving her a kiss. "Send my love to my aunt." he said with a smirk.

"Oh yes, I can picture that now...some how I don't think that would get things off on the right foot." Freya said, but she smiled at him.

------

Freya, Meng and Captain Hunt stood in the conference room not saying a whole lot. It wasn't exactly uncomfortable but they all had their parts to play in this and the two security sentry guards certainly kept them silent as they waited on the Council members to arrive.

Freya distracted herself by pouring a glass of juice and offered some to the others but they declined. Her glass just touched her lips when Bonwick hurried into the room looking more upset than Freya had ever seen her.



"Ah, Commander Bonwick - I hope your presence means the Council members are on their way." Captain Hunt said, not discerning the look on her face.

"They're dead sir!" Bonwick said, she looked toward Freya and Meng, barely taking them in before looking back to Hunt. "They're dead...the Council is dead...."

"Dead?" Meng and Hunt asked in shock at the same time.

"Murdered! All but Lady Ice, she's on her way to the ward now." Freya didn't even wait for Captain Hunt to acknowledge her before dropping her juice glass and heading for the door. There was a flurry of activity as she reached the door and she saw Bonwick grabbed Meng's arm.



He didn't resist her; he looked at Freya and she paused to catch his gaze. It was calm and collected as ever but deep inside his eyes she thought she saw anger....or sadness. And then she ran all the way to the medical ward.

End Chapter
End Season One