“Not I, my friend,” said Giles. “Aria’s a good lass, from all I’ve seen, and not accountable for whatever her father might have done. Besides, do you really think I’d jump ship?”
“No,” replied Jack warmly, “no, I did not, old friend.”
“Well, balls to anyone who thoughtImight leave,” snorted Quinn.
“What about the crew, Quinn? Have you had a chance to sound them out?” asked Jack.
“Standing true, Captain, every single one. If anything, a few folks were a little peeved that I even had to ask.”
Jack nodded slowly. “I just wanted to give people a chance to step away if they wanted. It’s stormy waters ahead, or I’m very much mistaken.”
“Well, this isn’t a fair-weather crew,” replied Quinn, with a touch of asperity. “They’ll take the rough journeys with the smooth. Give them some credit, Jack. Theywantto be by your side.”
“Fair enough.” Jack shook his head, as if to clear it. “How long until we reach Tarma?”
“About two hours, Captain,” said the navigation officer. “And what Quinn said, Captain? That goes for me. That goes for all of us.” There was a series of nods from the rest of the command crew.
“May the gods of the waves bless you all,” said Jack, moved. “I’m a very lucky captain indeed.” He turned to his companions on the command dais. “Any news from Madeline?”
Quinn nodded. “She sent some tech specs a little while ago, while you were…resting. She has a plan for transporting Aria from the brig to a House cutter, down to Tarma and a medical facility. She’s pretty confident it will work and keep the signal device blocked all the way.” Quinn shook her head in admiration. “She’s got some very smart people down there.”
“She should, for what she pays them,” said Jack. “Have you reviewed the plan yourself?”
“Aye, Captain. I know enough to understand how a Faraday cage works, though I’m no bloody expert. What she’s planning basically looks like a rolling, portable cage,” said Quinn.
“We’ll just have to hope it works,” said Jack.
***
A little less than two hours later, theMaracaibowas in high orbit around Tarma. Jack watched the dot of light that represented a cutter rising from the surface of the planet in a gentle arc toward theMaracaibo.
“Okay, prepare to receive the House cutter,” instructed Jack. “Everyone follow their lead. They’re the ones who cooked up this plan; let them execute it. We’ll be available to support.”
“Cutter will dock in two minutes, Captain,” said the flight officer.
“Okay. Quinn, stand watch on the command deck. Giles, go to meet the crew of the cutter. I’ll let Aria know it’s time.”
“Aye aye, Captain,” chorused the two.
Jack walked quickly down the corridor, trying to quell his own nervousness. To the best of his knowledge, no one had ever tried moving someone from one Faraday cage to another. Could the energy cages overlap? What would happen if the energies reacted explosively to each other? Could the feedback cancel them both out?
“Well, we’re going to find out,” Jack muttered.
He entered the passcode for the brig and passed inside.
“Okay, my love, it’s time to go,” said Jack, putting on a reassuring smile for Aria. He was sure that she must be very anxious—who would not be—and he wanted her to feel comforted and safe.
“All right,” she said, standing up and adjusting her smock. “I’m ready. When are they coming?”
“Any minute now,” said Jack, poking his head out to peer down the hallway. “Here comes the gurney.”
There were two groups making their way down the corridor—the first was two men at the front and back of a wheeled gurney, of the type commonly seen in hospitals. The second group was a man and a woman rolling what resembled a piece of very sophisticated stereo equipment on a waist-high cart next to the gurney. Jack assumed this was the mobile Faraday cage.
He watched as the techs from the Pleasure House rolled both the gurney and the cart into the brig. They nodded at him respectfully, and he nodded back.
“You must be Aria Gryffin,” said the man leading the gurney. He spoke calmly and had a kind face. “We’re here to bring you down to our hospital on Tarma.”
“I have to go on that?” asked Aria uncertainly, pointing to the gurney.
