S:JC Ch 2

Queen of the block part 2

I jumped onto the ship half looking around; I didn't really plan to find anything of use to me. My eyes rolled over the details of the ship, casually at first but after a moment something about it seemed. Off. I adjusted my focusing paying closer attention to the details of the ship searching for what was bothering me. I noticed something strange on the edge of the ship and walked over to it, it was a sphere symbol. I crouched beside it running my fingers over it, what was familiar about the symbol being carved into the red metal?

I gasp escaped my lips when I realized it; I stood taking in the ship in its entirety. This was the Hyperion! I knew of it from my time in sphere custody and Demetrius' tales of Marcus Farrell the rebel who stole and flew this ship before his disappearance. Demetrius!

My head jerked toward the destroyed market scanning the crowd for Demetrius; he had probably already reached the cell block with the boy. The boy who could be only one of two things: an ally or a spy. While his idiocy level was high I couldn't take the chance that the buffoon was really a sphere spy.

I jumped back onto the block, "Catherine!" I called "Finishing searching the ship an report if you find anything!" Catherine nodded and I headed toward the cell block quickly, running into Demetrius on the way. "Come with me." I gestured.

"What's going on?"

"That boy was flying the Hyperion, the means he's a rebel who found it and a possible ally or a sphere spy which means-"

"Then he'd be a guardian." I stopped at the door pulling it open, "Exactly."

"You really think that idiot is a trained guardian?"

"No, but I don't want to take any chances; and you are the only other seijin here."

"I'd like to think I'm more than just you're only option." I turned back to him smirking, "You're always a choose Demetrius." I winked, "now come on." I said opening the second door nodding to the guard. I side stepped and let Demetrius lead posting him outside when we reached the cell.

When I entered the boy immediately stood ready to give his plea. "Look I didn't mean too-" I cut him off pinning him to the floor and placing my knee close to his windpipe. I could see the surprise on his face and by his lack of defense if he was trained, it was poorly.

"Who sent you!?" I demanded

'What are you talking about?"

"Who sent you, why are you here!"

"I don't know what you're tal-" I shifted my wait, putting pressure on his chest.

"Answer me, who sent you!"

"N-no one! I was just on my way back to Portue angel an-"

"Portue Angel, that's not-" I pinched the brim of my nose, "You really are just an idiot." I lifted my knee from his chest and stood up; I was about to ask him something else when Demetrius opened the door, "Hey, talk to you for a second?" I nodded and followed him out. "What is it?"

"Catherine just radioed in; they finished searching the brigs ship." I nodded for him to go on, 'The brig had activated his distress single before he hit they think it's still on."

"Oh sh-" I raced down the corridor heading back toward the ship; if I could get to it quickly enough I might be able to turn it off before any damage is done. I reached the ship and climbed up to the cockpit yanking the needed wires out. 'Come on, come on." I mumbled under my breath, "Don't let sphere come ruin the party." I disabled the distress beacon wiping the beat of sweat that had started down my forehead.

'Yes commander." I flinched at the sound of Diwan's voice and sat up just as the transmission ended. Standing up I scanned the map and found that a small fleet of patrollers was heading here obviously responding the distress beacon. "Can't I ever get a break?" I groaned sliding back under the dash and yanking out more wires rearranging them so that anyone who checked would think technical difficulties caused the crash.

I pulled a disk from my pocket downloading the ships and then the brigs memory before altering the data to fit my adjustments and frying the brig. I jumped back to the floor as Demetrius approached me, a question on his face.

"Diwan's on her way here. I'm going to have to leave; I'll take the boy with me."

"No," He protested, "just stay here, hid until she leaves."

"You know that there is no way I can do that and protect these people." I side glanced at the wreckage before heading towards my ship. "And something tells me the fact the boy was piloting the Hyperion is directly linked to why Diwan is coming herself."

"Okay, that makes sense but why take the boy with you?"

"I can't fly both ships now can I; plus I want to know why he was here and were this Portue Angel is. Don't worry though," I added sensing his anxiety, "I'll be back." I smiled before jumping onto my ship.

"Now go get the pilot; I'll be waiting by his ship." He nodded and headed back. I sat a moment collecting my thoughts; Diwan was coming to personally check out the crash site. Oslo would only send her if he thought it was important. I rubbed my fingers over the drive I had pulled from the brigs ship, the idiot he was following must be important to Oslo, and if that's the case he could be of some use to me.

Shoving the drive into my pocket I shifted into gear and flew the short distance to wear Demetrius brought the boys ship down. I didn't have time to worry about Oslo's intentions at the moment.

After about five minutes of waiting I saw Demetrius dragging the boy -I really should get his name- down towards his ship. There was a bit of a scuffle but he climbed into his ship eagerly, undoubtedly when he heard he was able to go home. When he was in and had secured the hatch I flipped on my radio and turned it to his frequency.

"Don't worry Cortes I've got it all under control and I'm heading back now."

"You had betta be, and don't think you won't be payin' a price for your-" The transmission was cut suddenly but from what I heard this Cortes person was the one in charge. I pulled back sitting behind one of the larger areas of the block out of view. Demetrius obviously had told him that I would be accompanying him to this Portue Angel; if I played my hand right I could follow him easily without having to worry about him giving me the slip.

(Meanwhile back at Block)

Demetrius watched as a fleet of patrollers docked onto the block, waiting impatiently for Diwan to step out. He glanced around being sure nothing incriminating had been left in site. His eyes stopping at the rubble, men were still scrambling around trying to dig people out from the crash site; he didn't bother calling them over to welcome Diwan, being belittled by the sphere was not more important than the injured.

Diwan stepped out and immediately walked over to Demetrius, "What happen here?" She demanded aggressively.

"That patroller of yours came down on out of nowhere crashed right into the block, trapped lot of our people in the tavern." He gestured toward a small group of people being dug out. Looking back on Diwan she didn't seem convinced Demetrius could see she sensed something more had happen to cause the crash. He ran through his brain thinking of something he could say to make the story more convincing; just then a brig walked over reporting the same thing back to Diwan.

Diwan lifted the tablet in her hand examining the data when she was finished she handing it back to the brig and turned to leave. "Thank You for the cooperation." She stated coldly.

"Hey!" Demetrius shouting cutting in front of Diwan blocking her path back to her ship, "We pay our water taxes an even fix your lousy ships. Least you could do is leave some brigs here to help get our people out."

"That's not how things work. Now move aside," "I have better things to do than deal with the likes of you." Demetrius slowly stepped aside refusing to break his glare on Diwan as she walked back to the patroller. It toke all his self-control not to blast it out of the sky as the fleet flew off; instead he stood silently, hoping they'd get stuck in a bad electric storm and fry to death.

"Hey Demetrius," He turned to see Catherine walking towards him, "now that she's gone Julien's coming back, right?" Demetrius glanced over watching as the fleet disappeared over the horizon, something about the sight gave him a weird feeling in the pit of his stomach, "She's not coming back." He turned back passing Catherine and heading over to some injured in need of medical help.

(Back with Julien)

I followed him for about fifteen minutes before he arrived at a block which I presumed was this Portue Angel he was talking about I waited for him to dock his ship before approaching. This place was excluded but I managed to find a smaller block with an old water tower to dock onto; I jumped out and looking around. To my dismay the block was a pretty good distance from Portue Angel way too long to foot jump. I groaned and turned to the water tower glancing between it and the water tower. If I jumped from the top I should be able to make it to the other side; I grabbed one of the groves and started to climb.

When I reached the top I pushed off the tower and leapt forward; piece of cake I was going to make it that was until my stomach dropped half way there as I started to fall. I flailed my arms out grabbing at the air. Luckily my hand grabbed the ledge just in enough time to keep me from falling.

I grunted from the strain my shoulder took as my body hit the rest of the block. I grabbed ahold with my other hand shaking my left one out before pulling myself up."Next time, take the easy way." I mumbled rubbing my shoulder.

I caught site of the boy heading towards a lighthouse how'd I miss that? The field was too large and empty to follow him immediately so I waited until he reached the entrance before following.

I hesitated at the entrance a moment debating whether sneaking around was really worth it. Screw it sneaking around makes me look like a spy- I hate spies. I walked up the stairs immerging into a large loft area; a man drew a weapon on me almost immediately.

"Who are you and how did you get here!?" I raised my hands in surrender as I examined my opponent. He was older with orange hair; I recognized him immediately as one of the people who helped my after my escape. "Aw Cortes," I said dropping my hands to my pockets and leaning against the wall, "I missed you too."

"Do I know ya?"

"Just in passing."

"I can't say I'm glad to see ya." I scanned his eyes; he didn't recognize me at all so I might as well stick to business.

"Aint exactly how I wanted to go about meeting new friends either, but thanks to the idiot here," I glanced at him and he shifted uncomfortably, "I didn't really have a choice." I paused scanning his faces for any sign that the boy had mentioned the previous events, nothing.

"He's chased a patroller right into our airspace and shot it down so close it crashed right into my block. I have a lot of people injured cause of his recklessness."

"And you followed him here, what exactly is it you want?"

I shrugged "Morbid curiosity and I want a place to stay. Thanks to him the sphere's gonna be crawling all over my block for a while; as fellow pirates I'm sure you can understand why I don't wanna be around for that." He lowered his weapon but said nothing. Just stood a moment in silence

"Fine, I understand you're dilemma. Keep me as a prisoner then." I extended my arms in surrender as Cortes went over it in his head, "Wayan" He called as my eyes shifted toward a figure I hadn't seen earlier coming into view. He was a dark man in his late 20's. He came over tying my hands together and leading my by the arm back down the stairs.

As I was being lead out I could hear Cortes yelling at Mahad, something on lines of: "What have I told you about engaging the sphere without permission?!"

I slowed down as I glanced over at my ship; it wouldn't take much to take down Wayan run to my ship and fly off never to be heard of. I sighed as Wayan ushered me forward; I really didn't want to be on the run again.

Within fifteen minutes I was at their cell block, even for a willing prisoner this place seemed unusually small…maybe that was just because it was on a ship. I was "kindly" placed into one of the cells the door locked quickly behind me.

I sat down on the of the beds looking out the window. "What if offering myself up to be a prisoner wasn't so smart, what if they can't clear my story. I should've run when I had the chance, or at least had a plan." I glanced over at the window, "I hope everyone's okay…take care of them Demetrius."