Phantom Star

"Just hold up your block." Hammond assured me as I stood opposite him. I looked at the way his fists clenched, the fists that I was absolutely sure could blast through solid steel if he punched. Mitts the size of a bear raised up.

"Are you-Eee!" I yelped as he jabbed out and I felt it slam into my forearm. I stumbled back jerking at the strike and flinching badly, but Hammond just returned to his stance. "Dang It."

"You did fine." He said and I swallowed, because that was not what doing fine felt like.

We were a day away from our destination, so we were all keeping busy.

"I suck at this."

"Everyone does at first. C'mon, arms raised." He demanded, the sound of an order in his tone, and I stepped closer, raising my fists back up. "Now, I'm going to go slow, then you copy what I do." He ordered, and I kept my hands raised as he jabbed out again, and even as gentle as he was being, it still rocked me back.

Well that could just be me flinching.

"Now you."

"Right right." I repeated and then tried to mimic how he had punched. It was weak, I held back I realized even before I threw the punch, but he absorbed it with his arms and barely even moved with my punch.

"Try again. Harder."

I swallowed and threw my fist with a bit more behind it, and he tilted back, but it never altered his stance.

"Better. A punch like that will knock someone unaugmented for a loop, but you can do better. You have the strength."

"I've never really fought before. Roughhousing wasn't really a thing much on UNK-L."

"That's fine. That's not fighting anyways, this is. We need to get a punching bag. Think we can pick one up?" He asked, and I shrugged.

"I could probably put something together." I muttered, just needed something that would have some give to it, a couple Crabbits holding a pillow or something would basically work really.

"That'll be good. Come on. You should know how to take a punch just in case too." He said and returned to his stance.

Crap.

I raised my arms, but Sin called out. "Hey, you all wanted to do the eat together thing! I'm getting hungry!"

Hammond's fists lowered and I breathed a sigh of relief.

"Alright, let's eat first."

"Awesome." I whispered, and followed.

The Crabbits who'd been watching were chattering together but thankfully they were staying out of trouble.

We climbed up out of the hold and into the mess hall where Sin was already sitting in front of a meal, and already stabbing a fork into her meal.

"You could wait." Hammond scolded, but she purposefully bit into her fork ignoring him.

"How's the system?" I asked, thankful for the shift in focus. Hammond had been running me ragged all day.

"Crystal clear. I've been making some adjustments that I like, but I'll be able to do some real offense if we need to."

"Or defense." I agreed, and she rolled her eyes, big surprise the pirate girl liked offense more than defense. "I'm glad. Show me the test reports after? I want to make sure there isn't anything wrong with the hardware I need to fix."

"It's fine, but sure. You're the captain."

I nodded and waited for Hammond to finish his meal prep before getting my own.

Once we were all settled we started eating. There wasn't a lot of conversation. Fact was Hammond and Sin were still awkward around each other, and I wasn't really super chatty without cause.

But at least I had something.

"Should arrive at our destination tomorrow, not long after wake up time. Once we pick up the package, it'll be an express delivery to Connorday. If you need anything from the station, make sure you're doing it quickly."

"Aww. No rest time?"

"Not on this delivery, but Connorday is a planet, and I'm going to see if we can find some transport work there. So we should have plenty of time to look around."

"Huh. Been a while since I set foot on a planet." Sin muttered, and Hammond actually chimed in as well.

"It'll be nice to get off the ship for a while." He agreed and I blinked because…

I didn't want to get off my ship. I loved my ship. I looked around, I didn't feel stifled or cooped up at all. I had so much stuff to do… I guess not everyone was as comfortable on the Phantom Star as I was.

"Alright, let me know if we start needing more shore leave. I'm pretty comfortable on my ship, so I don't think of it much."

Hammond nodded, and Sin threw me a thumbs up before finishing her meal.

—---

I pulled away as I looked over the internals. My eyes running over all the connections double checking it, then I listened, the shallow song reached my ears.

It sounded right.

"Can you connect to it?" I asked the Crabbit over my shoulder who chimed without actually saying anything. This one was a bit more nonverbal than others.

She finally gave another note that sounded positive.

"Okay. Then let's put this back together."

"Okay, what did I just walk into?" Sin called out from behind me, as I looked away from my workbench towards the door.

"Just prepping some special munitions."

"That's a missile." She said pointing at the taken apart piece of ordinance.

"Yeah? I'm upgrading a few of them so the Crabbits can take over their flight controls. I'm hoping that with our upgrading electronic warfare systems, we can cut through whatever ECM we run up against to give the missiles a bit more accuracy."

"Okay can we put that aside to the fact you're tinkering with a missile… On the ship."

"It's dead. The explosive charge is over there." I pointed across the room next to the other missiles that were sitting in the corner where the warhead was resting.

Sin looked even more uncomfortable for a moment before shaking it off.

"Okay, sure. Why not? You seem to know what you're doing if you can build a ship, and all these AI… I'm not going to die in a sudden but inevitable explosion or something right?"

"No. Blowing myself up is pretty low on the to do list. Something you need? It's pretty late." I checked my Tab noticing that the ship Chrono was putting us super duper late. I should have gone to bed hours ago.

But I had the idea to update the missiles, and it was just so fun!

"I'm fine, I tend to cat nap. Just noticed the light on."

"Alright. Well if you want something to do, can you take this communication data, and do your best to support it through the ECM system? It's the channel the missiles need for guidance." I brought up the data, and flicked it at Sin who nodded as her Tab beeped.

"Yeah I can probably do that. Give me something to do for the rest of the night. You gonna be good for tomorrow?"

"Probably not great. But I'll deal. I should go to sleep though." I yawned right at the end uncontrollably, and got a chuckle from my pirate crewmate.

"Alright, see ya later then." She turned and headed back towards the mess, while I slowly started putting the missile back together. I didn't want any of the components to get damaged because I left it unsecured.

Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

Only once it was fastened back together did I have the Crabbits set it on the other side of the room and head out.

—--

The faint rumble of docking on board a station echoed under my feet, and I relaxed.

The station wasn't anything important, just the pick up location for a rushed delivery. It wasn't even a large delivery honestly. So we docked normally, since I didn't need to open the hangar doors. Rising up I walked past Sin who seemed to be in the middle of watching some show, and headed down to the airlock.

I hit it, and let it cycle, opening the door fully revealing the small docking hallway and the fact the package was already there which was a surprise.

"That's quick." Hammond muttered as he'd been leaning against the door planning on heading onto the station for a quick supply run.

"Yeah. You go, I'll get this secured. Just try to make it quick. This is supposed to be a rushed delivery and I don't want them thinking we're wasting time."

"Sure Captain." He agreed, and then moved across the hall, slipping past the four men that were carrying a train of cargo pods along with them.

"Captain Katherine Ferrous, of the Phantom Star?"

"That's me." I greeted the man, noted he was wearing a jumpsuit in the same style as the others, and a logo on the breast. Definitely some corporate handler, and not the one actually ordering the delivery.

"Please sign here, and take possession." He held out a Tab, and I looked it over before signing confirming it was just a confirmation of delivery. I tapped my Tab to his and the device beeped. "Very good. Where shall we deposit the cargo?"

"Here is fine, I'll store it from here." I confirmed, and the delivery guy nodded, looking pleased to be done with his task, and he and the four others left the twelve crates in the hall. I waited for them to leave before I turned.

"Oh! Oh! It's our turn now, right?"

"That's right." I confirmed for the Crabbits. "Go ahead and secure these all down, be careful with them. No playing."

"Yes yes!" The Crabbits now floating past me chirped as they went to work, settling on the cargo pods and then floating them off the ground and into the ship. They'd take the elevator shaft down to the cargo bay.

Now I just had to wait for Hammond to get back.

I fought off a yawn and leaned against the airlock. I really should have slept more last night, I was paying for it now. As the Crabbits floated past me, I noticed that all of them were happily chattering away, although thankfully they weren't turning the job into a game. I didn't need them smashing delicate cargo together as they raced around…

Raced.

I yawned again, my brain felt like it was slipping a few gears, but… That was a fun idea. I bet the girls would love that. I'd had something of a similar thought when I'd first gotten them their wheels…

Yeah I could do that. It's not like we didn't have a few more days in the black heading to Connorday. Hmm. I still had some missiles to fix up, but setting up something for the girls wouldn't take too long.

—--

We were well on our way to Connorday, and I was sitting in the cargo bay, and smiling as the Crabbits were losing their shit.

"Waaaaa!"

"It's for us!? For us!?"

"Look look! It has our face!"

I'd designed a series of metal pieces that could easily clip together and then just had the Nanopaste turn it out, each piece also had Crabbit faces on it, just because I thought it was cute.

Then with a bit of work I'd fitted them all together making a series of bends and turns, and even a jump over part of the track with a little ramp.

Then I revealed it to the Crabbits.

"The racing track isn't just for fun. I figure it's a good way to improve your database on your wheels. But yes, it's for you."

"Oooh!" The girls were freaking out flying all over it and poking and prodding, as they examined the course.

I couldn't help but smile at their delight. Very soon, more and more of the Crabbits came flying into the cargo hold from around the ship, and I was soon laughing as I sat down and put on wheel attachments to some of the girls that had taken them off over time.

It didn't take more than a few moments, before the first Crabbit landed on the track and started racing, her cute little noises as she accelerated getting the attention of all her sisters.

"Vruuuum!" She cried out and made it all the way around the first few turns, as other girls joined her, before she hit the jump. "Whaaa!" She squealed as she didn't settle right and ended up slamming optics first into the guard rail. Making a rather loud crash.

"Oh no!"

"Red Red!"

"Aaaaa!"

"Stop screaming. She's fine." I called out, finishing snapping on the little wheel to another Crabbits leg before standing up and going to check on the brave first racer.

"Uuuu."

"You broken anywhere?"

"Everywhere!" She cried out, and I just snorted as I reached down to pick her up. She wiggled weakly in my arms, as I looked over her case. No real damage to the case, One of her legs was janked up though. I looked it over. "Broken forever!"

"It's fine." I told her as I grabbed the leg and just twisted it back into place with a pop.

"EEeeeee! I'm dying! The pain! The pain!"

"You don't have any pain sensors." I reminded her, and I looked as her leg started wiggling, and going through system checks. Her wheel attachment even spun up as wiggled and then cheered up.

"Yay! All fixed!"

"Just watch out for the jump." I told her, as I set her down and left the little race track.

I sat back and watched as they started exploring their new toy. The cheers and laughter soon filled the hold, and honestly, the little time I'd taken to make this was well worth it for that if nothing else.

I settled back to watch. The Crabbits learned fast. Within a few minutes they were all racing along the track, although it took a bit longer before they started actually trying to pass each other instead of all just going at about the same rate and style.

The problem with shared mental awareness was that when they learned something new, it was instantly shared and so all of them would then make the same adjustment.

But, that was only if every part of the collective was the same.

One of the older Crabbits, one that had the best hardware that I'd scrounged together at the time, learned it first, she started timing it during turns and then pushing ahead, causing her sister to spin out, and earning her an improved space.

I smirked, as some of her sisters started copying her, but then another tried it and failed, miss timing and ending up in the wall.

Then another realized while making a strong turn she could reach out with a wheel that was mostly off the ground already and push her sister's back wheel, causing even more crashing…

I sighed and got up, to act as pit crew for the girls that were crashing out. Most of them just needed assurance they were fine and to be put back on their wheels.

"What's all this?" Hammond asked, as he hit the bottom of the ladder.

"Crabbit entertainment." I answered back, setting a Crabbit on her wheels and smiling as she cheered and raced back onto the track. Of course only moments later as she jockeyed in, her wheel was struck again by one of her sisters and she went spinning off the track.

"For them, or us?" He asked, after a moment, and I laughed.

"Both!"

"Ten Creds, on the nasty one, that keeps knocking the others out of the way." He said suddenly, as he took one of the crates of guns and dragged it over and took a seat.

I almost jumped in to agree, but hesitated.

Some old advice I remembered. Best not to put yourself in a position to take money from those that work for you. "How about we bet on dinner. I say that one is going to beat her." I offered pointing at another girl. She was following the most aggressive Crabbit and seemingly trying to figure out a way to stop her.

"Heh. Not exactly a tough task is it?"

"Exactly, but I'll still get to smirk as I make you make dinner."

"Heh." He chuckled and nodded, and the deal was struck. Good. Morale was maintained, and I avoided a potential pitfall!

I leaned back suddenly feeling kinda confident about this whole Captain thing. I could do it.

"What is going… Oh." Sin asked, half way down the ladder before she realized what it was.

"Come down. We're placing bets on who wins in exchange for the loser making everyone dinner."

"I didn't agree to everyone." Hammond retorted grumpily. I blinked at the sudden shift but as I looked at him, he turned, hiding his face from Sin and threw me a wink.

Oh! He was trying to get Sin involved!

"Whoever loses makes dinner huh? Alright. I'm in." Sin offered after a moment hanging on the ladder and actually sliding the rest of the way down to join us.

I smiled as she took a seat leaning on another cargo crate, and for a while all three of us just laughed and cheered on our chosen racers.

Of course I basically just cheered on all the girls because I wanted them all to have fun.

—--

We were burning towards Connorday, and I'll be honest, I wasn't looking forward to landing. The planet even from this distance had a nasty sickly color to the whole thing.

"You should put on your forcefield system. We might want to be careful about the air." I called out to Sin who was tinkering away checking the system for any pirates.

"I don't really have one, remember."

"What? Shit." I cursed looking at her, and realizing that yeah she wasn't exactly wearing enough clothes to fit a full forcefield in her usual outfit. "I forgot, we need to get you one."

"It's fine. I'll be dead if something happens anyways."

"That's not true, and you need a forcefield. Even Hammond has a crappy battery powered one… I need to get him an upgrade too. Shit." I rubbed my face. I'd been so busy with setting up the Phantom Stars new weapon systems. I'd forgotten to check my crews equipment.

I poked at my Tab and made a note. "We're going to find a forcefield seller on planet… It's an industrial planet so it should have them."

"I said it's not that big a deal." Sin offered back but I just looked away from my Tab to meet her eyes and then shifted into a glare.

"It is a big deal. I won't have people on my ship that can die from some accidental decompression, or a bad shot cracking the hull."

"If you say so." She offered hands raised in surrender, and I nodded. Damn right. I'm the captain and I say everyone has basic protection equipment.

Jeez.

"Let Hammond know we're getting close." I told the Crabbits and they cheerfully agreed, as I started accessing the Comm system, to talk to planetary guidance. We should have a landing pad already set aside for us… There.

I didn't even need to speak to them directly, simply send a request with the docking code, and we had our landing clearance.

As always I enjoyed the feel of the Phantom Star cutting into the atmosphere, controlling the descent. I winced a bit as I felt her get jostled a bit, whatever the air was like on this planet, it felt heavy. Almost like flying through water, which wasn't a good sign.

But I just followed the path down, cutting through what I hoped were clouds, and then the screen was absolutely covered in a torrent of water.

I looked at my Tab, using my sensors for guidance, any hope of seeing visually was out.

In the end, no matter how bad the atmosphere was, the Phantom could punch through. The feeling of the landing gear compressing a bit as we touched down was a minor relief, flying blind wasn't fun, even if visual flying wasn't really the best way to do it. I just liked seeing where I was going.

I looked out the window and couldn't even see the front of my own ship.

"What a mess."

"Ugh, yeah. This is why I left dustballs. Weather is the worst."

"I actually like rain… Just not whatever this is." I decided, because yeah. I couldn't even tell what was going on out there in this soup.

I rose up and locked down the engines, letting them wind down, and headed out. "I'm going to set up some force fields around the cargo hatch. If we're staying here for a bit to get another job, and some supplies… Well I don't want that getting on my ship."

"Heh. You're such a station brat. Sure Captain. We'll keep the nasty dust ball air out." Sin called towards my retreating back, and I really wanted to flip her off or something, but the gesture didn't really exist anymore from what I could tell.

How annoying.