Space Cowboy Chapter 7 (The Black Curtain)

LOOKING for new cowritter

The music thumped so load it gave Rex a head ache. Halo is putting on the moves that had made her a intergalactic star in her hey day, She was no longer a young 'blue' banging out 2k a night in the clubs. Her big time was well past her. And her moves not as crisp as when she had been a headlined for the Star Light Entertanment Group (SLEG). She had been a publicly traider sub-stock HES-(Halo Entertanment Services) selling for a high of 37 credits a share.

Her dancing had been stairway to the very lucrative sexual services sector. She could make 5x-6x more a night servicing young rich women and their daughters, then from her dancing gigs. Suddenly the music stopped and the lights go low. The lover slowly broke from their seats and made their way to the dance floor.

Halo gares at the band leader for breaking her up temo dance paterns. She pouted as she shuffled back to her seat. She knew that Rex would not slow drag with her. They were not lovers, they were crewmates. That is not to say she had never gotten on bended knee and blew him. Once even from under a table in a crowded bar. That had been long ago and many star systems away. It had been a while since Halo blue hue had pulsed and she is ready for some hot girl on girl action.

Rex shifted in his chair. Halo made him a little uncomfortable when she danced. She is so erotic that his dick gets hard just watching her. He has to keep reminding himself that she was his navigator not his private sex toy. Though technically he owner her. He had bought all of her shares when her stock plummeted after her accident.

At 5000 shares a credit investers were over joyed to sell there shares. He owned her and he had the legal papers to prove it. On the other hand he never treated her like a slave. She is his friend his lover when both were in the mood. Though mostly they were just very good friends that watched out for one another.

Rex had finished his second drink when Halo finally sat down. "You make me tired just watching you." He said trying to act bored. Halo looks over at him. "Oh yeah Rex and that tent in your pants hasn't gone down yet!" A vioce from behind him gives Rex a start.

"I'm Looking for Rex Lyonheart, the Captain of the Star Dreamer."

Daria Silver sat at the bar and watched all the dancers moving to the fast beat. She yearned to join them but she wasn't here to dance tonight she was looking for Captin Rex Lyonheart. She had been told he was looking for a mechanic on his ship and she was looking for a job. She was told she wouldn't beable to miss him just look for the sexxy blue skinned woman and the only man she would sit with would be Rex.

So here she sat at the bar sipping her drink her eyes glued to the woman. She was good on the dance floor and Daria wanted to join her but she just watched her bluish silver eyes trained on the woman. When the music turned low and slow the woman finally moved to sit with a rather attractive man. Daria rose and adjust her black leather mini skirt and made sure both of her belts were lined up. She brushed her fingers through her hair and made her way silently toward the table. Her taned skin seemed to glow in the lights giving her fairy like features even more of an enchanted look.

She wore all black her shirt tight but had a hole that revealed her cleavage and her fingerless gloves reached her elbows were buckled so they wouldn't slip. Her booted feet were silent as she approached from behind the man. Her netted stockings were connected to her skrit were they ended mid thigh. She knew she looked far from a mechanic at the moment but they were at a club and this was how she dressed at a club. Standing directly behind the man she spoke.

"I'm Looking for Rex Lyonheart, the Captain of the Star Dreamer." She said her voice naturally smokey and husky as if she were seducing someone.

Rex and Halo both turn around and look at the woman. Halo is at once taken by her. Rex is a little more reserved. Rex smiles politely. I'm Rex Lionheart, if this is collection attempt I'm tapped out. My navigator here is bying the drinks. "

Halo stands and extends a hand to her and offers her a seat at the table. "I'm Halo the navigator on the Star Dreamer. What can we do for you? Weare not taking any passengers at this time. Our ship is in space dock undergoing repairs."

Rex looks at Halo. "Yeah we just got back from the Birds Nest, where we were jumped by raider. Isn't that right?" He askes Halo. Mildly annoyed that she had agreed to take the cargo mission in the first place.

Daria took Halo's hand lightly caressing it with her slightly calloused fingers. "Pleasure to meet you Halo you looked amazing on the dance floor." She flashed her pale silver blue eyes at the woman letting her gaze roam her body as she took the seat the other woman offered. She crossed her legs causing her mini skirt to hike up to an indecent level.

"It's nice to meet you both." She said in a voice just oud enough to be heard by them but not the people around them. "I'm Daria and I am neither in colletions or looking for passage." She paused a moment. "Per say anyway. Rumor around the bay is that you might be looking for a mechanic. Rumor also has it I'm unemployeed mechanic."

She leaned back streching her torso before relaxing her body again. "Seems if all the rumors are true maybe we can help each other out." She said blatantly as if she didn't have a care in the world. Truth be told if worse came to worse she could go back to dancing for her keep but she much perfered mechanics.

"Daria?" Halo asks inquizitively. Gaining more interest in her, the more she looked at the woman. Then it dawned on her. She had seen Daria dance at a small club several months back. Halo smiles"I saw you dance at The Cloud 9 Club a few months back. You wore black leather and had a fast tail move. I thought you had great rhythm and sway, but,,,I hope you don't mind ..your feet you dance like your stuck in mud...I'm sorry I was a pro..and....

Rex cuts her off. "Yeah she keeps her feet on the ground. That is fine. Listen I need a engine service tech, or for a lack of a better old term...a mechanic. Its got a Jupiter/Triaxian engine and four multi warping cores. Do you think you can handle that kind of engine?" Rex pause and looks her over. She looks good anyway. He thinks to himself.

"Anyway, it might be a good idea to tell you a little about our ship. The licence number of our ship is IS789-2-456. The IS is interstellular a Republic designation the 2 in the middle is ship class. 789 is ship model. 456 Is the Republic ship designation." "Like I said the Star Dreamer is a class 2 ship, with a Jupiter/Triaxian engine, four multi warping cores. While configured as a freighter it has heavy cruiser weapony, four long range hyper thumpers, six Clayborn rail launchers, two forward blister packs of short range plasma launchers and on the upper level, a twin Clayborn 75 mm rotory cannons with a auto feeder on an armored platform. The twin 75s are new. They were just installed at the Clatborn Ship Center not more then a year ago, and realligned at the Biltmore station. The Star Dreamer has 14 pirate kills, 29 raider kills. 11 spider kills,2 mega lifters, 2 SOLs (Ships of the Line), and has range and power. It is a registered Star Repulicain ship and can haul all but class 1 cargo (Military), legally. " He smiles to himself at that last statement.

"The Star Dreameralso has inter-light capacity, the main engine is a rebuilt from a Triaxian mauler named MOTH VERS GROTHOUS if you don't know Triaxian. Thats The Gods of Mothers House, it was a hell of a ship took 182 thumper hits before breaking up and I got its main engine for a song. While it may seem strange for a ship this size to only have one engine. Its one hell of a powerfull engine. And the four warping cores make us very fast and I heard the other day that another Jupiter/Triaxian may be for sale ." Rex takes a drink from his glass, then puts it down.

Halo looks at Rex. "Rex your going to sink more money it to that bucket?" Halo pouts" You promised me a water softener and power sprayer for my shower!"
Rex looks at her."Our shower you souless hussy!" he grumbles. Halo smiles back at him.

"That's right my big Captain our shower, our one and only shower. You would think a ship that size would have more then one shower." Halo chided him.

Rex smiles back hard at her"I could put one in the chem locker in storage bay 2?" he replies.

Halo looks at him with a shocked look" You bastard Tri-methanol-polycarbonate makes my skin turn green, you what a grreen Neon?" She turns away and pout some more. "I hope not!"

Rex turns to Daria" Are you sure you want to crew on my ship? It will be only the three of us!"

Daria listened to Rex and didn't focus too much on what Halo had said her main priorty here was to get a job not dancing tips. She paid careful attention to all the info he was giving her. She made note of all the stats and componits of the engin in the ship. She watched the enteraction between Halo and Rex and quickly decided that these two were not only on the same crew but were friends as well as casual lovers. The byplay made her give a genuine laugh when he focused back on her and asked her if she was sure she wanted to join.

"I don't think that would be so bad smaller crews make tighter bounds. Besides watching the two of you would keep me on my toes if all else fails. All I can say is I am good at job and stay out the way. If you want refrences I can give you some to check and let you get back with me or I can come by in the morning if it is convient for you and you can run me through the ropes and see for yourself how I do." She said all of this with a confidence that only came from years of experiance in her voice.

She sat back and streched her body out causing her outfit to shorten and strech. "I would be happy to answer any other questions you may have before I answer to the call of the dance floor." She told Rex then looked at Halo. "I love if you could give me some tips out there." Daria smiled sweetly and with a bit of a come hither look in her eyes.

Biltmore Station part 2

Rex looks thoughtfully at Daria. "Tell you what. I'll give you a trial work out." He looks at Halo."I just decided. I'm going to buy that Jupiter/Triaxian engine. And have it shipped If you work out during the run up. Then you can help ailign the new engin with the old one. The closest large rebuilding complex is Biltmore Station."

Halo is watching a woman across the room when she heard Rex mention 'Biltmors Station'. She turns and looks at him in shock."Your going to take her to 'The Castle' Rex, no that is not a good idea."

Rex gives her a look."No I'm not taking her to the Castle, we will be taking her to the maintenance and rebuilding complex. "

"They use prison labor to do the work!" Halo replies. Rex gives her an I know look. "That's why its cheap to get work done there."

Halo turns to Daria. "I would love to dance with you, but I feel obligated to tell you the story of Biltmore Castle Station. Any ways he is how it goes: The biggest gunslinger of them all in this part of space was "Wild Bil" Biltmore. Wild Bill was a bounty and pirate hunter. His ship was the Southern Cross. He would roam the star systems looking for bad guy to bring to justice.After many years the Republic Credits started to stack up and he looked for a place to settle down.

He built the"Castle" on a planet a few light years away from the most heavily traveled merchant traffic that was around at that time. After he retired and settled down other law eforcement folks stop by and asked if Bill would hold on to their prisoners for them. Sure Bill would say and promply put them to work. Space justice can be a cruel master, and Bill was not faint hearted. You broke the law you were going to pay. Women worked on their backs and their legs open and the men lugged product and masonry and rock on there backs. Every one worked, the men would collapse and be carried off by other prisoners to an aide station. The women were given better medical care for they were need just as much as the men. And made a bulk of the money that Bill had coming in. The men built the castle while the women payed for it. Soon word got out that crime was just not worth the risk of ending up in "the Castle"

. Stories of the Castle floated all over the known space world. Finally world got to the higher authorities and an investigation was started. Pressure from goverment over the vast spread of space that some of "their" people were being held in bondage at the Castle with out benifit of trial or hearing. Some thing had to be done to end this unjustifed detention of "innocent persons".

Wild Bill or AKA William Albert Biltmore, his birth name never lived to see the closing of the Castle. Wild Bill was with two of his favorite prisoners Sally 14 and Joany 11. They were breaking in a new girl Jill 42. Bill hadthe girls hold her down while he banged away. He came and then left them. Biltmore Castle was closed and the prisoners moved.

Slowly crime started to rear it ugly head again. It was decided to reopen the castle as a Republic out post Station. Some say if you go down to the lowest "storerooms" you can still here the women screaming. __________________

Daria looked from Halo to Rex her insides jumping for joy at the chance he was giving her. "Thank you for this chance Rex." She said in all sincerity. When Halo turned to her to tell her the story of Biltmore Castle Station, Daria leaned forward taking a sip from her drink listening to everything said.

When Halo finished her story Daria turned her head from one side to the other processing the informatioin in the story before she spoke. "Sounds like an interesting and historical place." She told them meaning it. She leaned back in her seat again watching both Halo and Rex thinking of what it would be like on the ship. The only possible problem is could for see was that she was attracked to both of them. Especially Rex, she decided as her eyes roamed over him again.

"Sounds like an interesting and historical place."

Halo looks at Daria then Rex and makes a smurk. "Sounds like an interesting place." Halo pauses.

" Its a slave pit!" She announces.

Several patrons turn and look at her.

Rex smiles and raises out of his chair."I think its time to leave."

Halo turns and starts to get out of her chair. She sees a grey Traxian female in a red dress who is staring at her."Love your dress!" she states quickly.
They make their way out of the dance club and out to the street.

Rex turns to Daria" You better get your stuff, your going to bring with you. We are in a hanger at Grogan Street Space Port. Hanger 18. The Star Dreamer is the big white long one with black cargo pods."

Daria smiled at how Halo was appaled by her reaction to the story but didn't say another word. As they rose she nodded to Rex and began adjusting her skirt before heading to the hotel she was calling home.

She had already packed her things but she decided to change from her clubbing clothes into a black one piece mechanic overalls. She stripped and changed going comando undernieth with only a blue lace bra. She slipped on her work boots and left her hair down. She was fully changed inside of 10 minutes.

Slipping her pack over her shoulder she made her way back out onto the street and headed to the space port and the hanger where she would find the star dreamer. When she arrived she stood back and admired the view that at least for the next little bit would be her home.

Rex sits in Halo's Navigation station with a headset on talking to the onboard computer. He has changed in to a gray flight suit. Halo is holding an Maintence E-Book. Halo is standing next to him in a tight golden flight suit she had bought two missions back.She looks up as Daria enters.

"You found us, great. Rex and I are going over some tech issues with the Nav Comm. He will have to check the linkages in the cockpit so it might be best if you were to wait up there." Halo points to a sairway and a slide pole. "You look great in black by the way."

In a few minutes Rex is up the stairs and sees Daria. He smiles at her. "Very nice that will work when your in Engineering. While your in Operations, you need to wear a flight suit. On take offs and landings there are monitors in each suit to record any medical problems that might arise. OK lets start the tour."

Rex stands out side the Command Pod "The Star Dreamer is not a luxury liner. The engineers bay is in the rear of the ship. Your gear, what there is of it, can be stowed in locker bunker in Engineering. Your room is E 1-1 yes you guessed it in engineering. You have a privacy room and a data access terminal while in flight is just below the bridge. There is a vioce activated on board computer system. The ship will monitor all engineering operation while we are in deep space. Your computer access to operations and engineering is E-1 Alpha 1."

Rex walks into the rather cramped two seat cockpit and sits in the Captain's chair. He makes a few adjustments to the console and watches as Halo starts to closes the cabin hatch. "Halo start preflight, I'm going to take Daria to egineering and get her aquainted with the Triaxian monster."

He squeezes past Halo and leads Daria to the pole and slides down the rail to the Engineering station. "That can be fun!" Rex walks over to The lower Engineering area. "Here is where you maintain the Operation and Engineering of the ship. The ship is designed to carry different types of cargos in simular types of bays. You should be able to tell the differences quite quickly."

Rex turnes and opened sealed hatch. Upon opening the hatch the picture changed radicaly. The hatch opened to a walkway over the storage bays. The smell from old and rotting cargos was overwhelming. Rex waved her to hurry up and get to the next hatch, which he openes. As she walked through quickly closes. They are in a different bay and the ordor of oil and chemical filled the air. Rex lead the way over the catwalk to the next hatch. It openes to room pitch black. He closed the hatch and finds a box and opened it and withdraw a hand lantern and passes one to her. The air is dry, still and stuffy. This is the largest of the cargo holds. Cargo nets hang from the ceiling. Cables wound around spool stood three and four high. The hand lanterns gave off a short white light that cut through the darkness. Rex lead her to the end of the catwalk to another hatch that had Engineering stenciled over the door. He openes the hatch.

A bright well lit room comes it to veiw. He takes the the hand lantern from her and put it in a box on the wall. Then closed the hatch. "This is the Triaxian monster. And as you can see the four interconected warping cores. Now if you have any questions just ask the computer. Here is where you will work"

Rex pauses as he looks Daria over for the first time since she came aboard. "Like I said change in to a flight suit for take off. You can remain here to be close to Engineering or come up front the Operations. " He turns to leave picking a lantern out starage box. He stops and looks back at Daria.

"We have a small party after each launch, say a hour afterward, wear something sexy!"

Daria followed Rex through the ship to engineering in enjoying the few as she did. She watch the play of muscles on his back and his ass as he walked licking her lips before chastising herself for checking out her new boss. She didn't say anything as he showed her to her area of the ship.

She had never been much of a talker and plenty of people took that to mean she was shy and timid when in fact she was anything but she had just learned a long time ago while growing up in the orphanage that being silent you learned more than you did when talking. She only really said anything when she had something important to say other wise she was silent. She preferred to watch people and listent to them so she could learn more about them. Daria found it to be a great form of entertainment and way to pass the time when she wasn't elbow deep in an engine or lost in to world of dance.

When they finally made it to engineering she inhaled deeply taking the sent of oil into her lungs relaxing feeling herself come into her element. She listened as he talked her gaze roving the room as she took in everything and quickly making emergancy plan in her head. He reminded her to change as he made his way to the door and she nodded her pack still slung over her shoulder. She was almost caught checking out his ass when he turned back to her at the door and told her about the the party and to wear something sexy. Daria smiled softly at him and nodded her head.

As soon as he was gone from the room she made quick work of changing into her black flight suit. She knew most of her clothing was black and some considered her odd for it but it went well with her coloring and it hid grease and oil stains. Once she had the suite on she carried the pack to her room pulling out all three sets of coveralls for her working and then the two social outfits she had including the one she had worn to the club where she met them, the other one was the only non-black clothing she owned. It was a dress that looked rather high class in silver with a black smokey design that made her eyes look more misty.

With her clothes put away she went out to the main room in engineering and settled in for take off. For the first launch she wanted to stay down here in her little world mainly so she could hear the sounds and comit them to memory. It was always something she did as she could often pick up just from sound alone if something was wrong and hearing it when it was in good condition would make it easier for her to pick up in the future if there was any nuicances and she could work on repairs before it became a real problem.

After leaving Daria in Engineering he returns to the command pod and slids into the command seat. Halo has done preflight and they are ready for launch. he waites for the computer to cross check the launch systems.

COMPUTER: Go for launch.
Rex: "Main engine start"
Halo: Main engine start to go!"
Computer: Main engine is go. Rex: start at 25%
Halo: main engine to 25.
Computer: you have lift.
Rex: Space controler this is Republic 456 requesting launch claerance.
Halo: we have 5 degree drift, compensating.
Launch controler: Republic 456 clear for launch out bay 18.
Rex: Roger that Control bay 18
Computer: launch tracking in place to bay 18.
Rex: forward one half to the mark
Halo:to the mark."

The ship raised off the deck and moved forward at a steady rate.
Launch Control: Republic 456 process good. meet escort 24 at next junction. Rex: Control, Negitive on 24 we have internal guidence lock for bay 18 no need for 24, over.
Launch control. understand, sorry Rupublic 456, heavy traffic in play, need to put 24 on you, break off internal.
Computer: Control, stand by.
Rex: Computer, what?"
Coputer" Rex I'm picking up a lot of traffic. Signal 11's all over the place. Hold on.

Rex looked at Halo, she shruggs her shoulders.
Computer: I just picked up two Signal 14s. This place could get hot soon!
Rex: Damn..ok, Daria be advised two signal 14 reported. Ships taking damage in case you forgot. It could be raiders! Stay in Engineering we may need to hot launch out of here, this is not my fight....hell we might just get out of here yet! Launch control: Republic 456 we have damaged crafts on your launch deck, swith to 18Charlie.
Rex: 18 Charlie in a mini bay. Control we are a class 2 how do we get out ? Launch Control: Republic 456 come left to track 20 left and hold!
Rex: Roger control, 20 left and hold
Halo: reducing to one quarter and then lock
Computer: coming to one quarter and locking. The ship moved to the left to ramp 20 left and stopped.

After ten minutes.
Launch control: Rupublic 456 meet escort 45 at end of 20 Left.
Computer: I'm getting signal 15 and 16.
Halo: Heavy damage and on fire. We got to get out of here fast!"
Rex: " Daria be advised we may have a hot launch."
Launch control: To all ships, we are under attack, you leave at your own risk, we have nothing to protect out side our combat and control patrols.
Rex: Launch Control, Republic 456 underestands, looking for hot launch any class 2 bay or larger!

After a few seconds.
Launch control:underestand looking for hot launch, roger come right to track 21. Will hot launch off 22, repeat 22.
Halo: 22 that is a combat launch site.
Computer:weapons to auto.
Halo: roger that weapons to auto.
The ship moves to launch track 21. The second it stoppes, an elevator rushed it up decks. On the combat launch deck are two Republic Mauler waiting to launch. The heavy fighters sit ready for launch. In no time, they were thrown down the launch bay. The launching systems moves them to the launcher. In seconds the catapult is in place and they are locked in.
Rex: standby for hot launch everyone!

Daria could hear everything going on and cursed under her breath just what she didn't need trouble on take off of a new ship she had yet to familiarize herself with. After moments of what seemed to be pure chaos in arranging launch and traveling from bay to bay she cringe and Rex's final words, "Standby for hot launch everyone!"

Daria cursed again and pulled up the computer that was not far from her so she could watch the engine's levels as they did the hot Launch. She knew of more than one engine that had sputtered under such a launch and she wanted to be prepared just case anything happened and know exactly where the problem had occured if there was one. She kept her eyes glued to the monitor as she felt the ship begin to shake in preperation for the launch.

As They launched she kept her eyes glued to the monitor zoning everything else out. Her job and purpose was to keep the engine in top notch shape. She watched the systems fluctate as the launch comensinced and they began leaving port. Everything mostly stayed in normal except for one thing and that was pressure in the thrusters. This concerned her and even though the ride getting out was anything but smooth she unfastened her belt a nimbly made her way to the thruster having problems.

After a quick look over she made some fast adjustment manually that should stablize the the thruster making their "getway" a bit smoother and faster.

hot launch

The ship shook as the engine came up to full power. "Warning 105 thrust power." Rex looks at Halo"105?" He looks at the pressure gauge quickly then looks at Halo shrugs his shoulders.And simply says "Launch!"

Halo taps the brake release buttom that signals the caaipult that the ship is ready. The three locking bolts open and release the catapult. The 3.2 mile sled rail rockets the ship down the launch tube at just under .5 warp,. In the cockpit nav lights flash by.

In seconds they are outside gaining speed. "6.5 Warp!" Halo calls out. Rex raises the nose to 18 degrees. 7.0. "Come on baby he says. Suddenly a black cloud appears in front of him then another.

"Hard port!"he calls out. The ship pulls hard to the left and avoids the cloud. '"6.8" Halo calls out. To their right two more bursts of clouds appear.

"Thats area fire on a launch angle. We would of been blown to bits if we had flown in to that cloud!" Rex states angerly. The Star Dreamer is now off angle pionting in the wrong direction, but still gaining speed. Halo looks at Rex. "This is not the right exit speed for the launch window!"
Rex looks quickly at the launch windows on his screen.
"We will go through the wall then!" He states flatly.
Halo looks at him "Can we do that?" she askes.
Rex is not sure himself. "Lets find out!" He drops the nose to 12 degrees and flattens out the ship. Far to the right a string of orange then red hot pulses thread through the sky.
Halo looks at her nav screen. "Rex I don't believe, it there is an old flat launch window on this heading. We will be heading in the wrong direction, but we can break out on this heading. 5 second to window. Damn it small a needle prick. "My god I know what it is!"
Just as the last words word leaves her mouth the four warping cores kick on line.
occ: At 7.5 warp the core had came on line. On normal launches the cores do not aline till 10 is reached and normal space is reached. A hot launch means two different things. The first is that the ship will be under attack during launch. The second is that the ship may get to hot to survive trying to break out of the atmosphere. Then it would of hit the "wall" and started to break up.

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