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FOLLOW THE NOSFERATU
* CHAPTER 2 * - Lotus
* 3 * - The Departure
POST 017 / NOS / CORE / MIRIAM:
Distracted from the upper-arm attachment that she helped Hitch to design and build, Miriam smiled
at the shy young woman with curly dark hair, similar but longer than her own.
Nice hair...
"Welcome aboard, Libertad," the captain greeted from the catwalks above, then glanced past Hitch,
"Nice to see you, Miriam."
Miriam smiled up at him. But before she could thank him, the captain turned away.
"Where's Avalon?" he asked.
Hitch was the first to answer. "I haven't seen anyone else, captain. Want me to go look for her?"
Wait! I can do it... I want to be useful...
Raising her dark eyes, Miriam spoke up a little louder than she intended, "Let me do it!..." Then
controlling her voice, she explained, "Captain, Hitch is still busy with the Construct protocols... Besides, I'm faster..."
With a sideways glance at Hitch, she whispered, "No offense..."
And Miriam returned her focus to the captain, "I can get to the control tower and contact her
quarters from there..."
POST 018 / NOS / CORE / LIBERTAD:
Avalon wasn't there. Phew, I'm not the last to arrive. It would have been too pathetic:
stupid newbie leaves home early, walks around Zion to calm down, gets lost and arrives late. Fan-tas-tic!
Libertad didn't really know what to do. She felt a bit out of place. She tried to bite her nail again,
but didn't. She felt more and more nervous. And more and more stupid. She was only 18, much younger than the rest.
I'm a baby girl, she thought, I hope I don't piss too many times.
"So," Libertad said softly, trying not to sound too anxious, "what shall I do now? Shall I wait here?
I mean, I... well, don't know what to do."
Stupid me, she thought, I sounded like a retarded girl.
She bowed her head and stroked her hair nervously. Every second she found it more difficult not
to run away.
POST 019 / NOS / CATWALKS / JAYMAN:
After listening to Hitch's and Miriam's offers to search for Avalon, Captain Jayman glanced to
Commander Crystal.
Then Libertad murmured, "Shall I wait here? I mean, I... well, don't know what to do."
"Let's not panic just yet," the captain reassured his crew below. Leaving the platform, he made his
way along the railed catwalk to the starboard gun station,
and down the steps to the main deck.
CORE / JAYMAN:
"I'll give her a few more minutes," Jayman added, "and then we can look for her."
"In the meantime," he continued, "I wanted you all here by 0645 hours so we could get through the
introductions and mission briefing before departure... While you all know who I am, you may not know who your
crewmates are. To reiterate, I am Jayman, captain and pilot of the Nosferatu..."
Jayman turned and gestured to the tall formidable and beautiful ponytailed redhead. "This is Crystal,
commander, first-contact specialist, and first officer. She is my second pair of eyes and ears. So unless it's a mission
situation, bring any other reports or requests to her..."
He nodded to the huge black socketless soldier in the chair, who tipped his orange cap to reveal his
clean-shaven head. "This is Hitch, short for Hitchhiker, one of the best operators the Nos has ever known. Ten years ago,
while his captain and senior operator were stranded in the Matrix, and while his commander was wounded, he managed to
lead the mission and save two minds simultaneously..."
Jayman stepped over to the one-armed yet strong-looking brunette who smiled with wide eyes.
"This is Miriam, one of the minds he saved that day, and now a martial-arts expert, not only in the Matrix, but in the
Real World as well..."
Next, looking past Crystal, he gestured to the shy and soft-spoken teenager with tan skin and black
hair. "This is Libertad, our youngest crewmate, freed by Kan-chiang three years ago. While officially, she is Avalon's
medical assistant, she will also assist Hitch and Miriam with ship maintenance, and when necessary, provide assistance
in the Matrix..."
Stepping back towards Crystal, Jayman took off his black cap, scratched his scalp, and put the cap
back on. "As for crew quarters, Crystal and Avalon will keep their current port-side quarters. Hitch will take Fall's old
quarters, forward starboard, while Miriam and Libertad will share Andy's quarters, aft starboard."
[Crew Quarters where a = Hitch, b = Crystal, c = Miriam+Libertad,
d = Avalon.]
Suddenly, the faint but distinct ring of heavy boots slapping metal rungs came from one of the
loading-bay ladders below. As Jayman stepped towards the sound, a head of shoulder-length red hair emerged from
the opening.
"Ah," the captain smiled tightly as the slender figure climbed to her full height, "and this is Avalon,
our chief medic..."
"Hello, darlings," the redhead said.
"Now that everyone's here," Jayman continued seriously, "our next mission is to resume the
reconnaisance mission that was aborted two weeks ago. If things look good, our following mission will make first contact
with Lotus." He glanced at Crystal then back at his crew, Hitch, Miriam, Libertad, and Avalon. "If our subsequent contacts
go well, our final mission will rescue her. But depending on her receptivity, and any obstacles in our path, her rescue
could be days away, weeks away, or months away. So this is your last chance to change your mind and stay in Zion.
Any questions?"
POST 020 / NOS / CATWALKS / CRYSTAL:
Crystal's look answered Jayman's asking glance. It's up to you... I have my own opinion about her delay, but the decision
is yours.
"Let's not panic just yet," Jayman said and left the platform.
Yeah, as far as we know Avalon, there'll be enough opportunities to panic because of her, she joked to herself.
CORE / CRYSTAL:
Finally reaching the Core, Crystal looked at the others, studying their faces. Standing beside Jayman with her hands resting on
her thighs, she listened to Jayman's introductions. She always liked his brief speeches before a mission. Somehow his voice and tone calmed her.
On the other hand, it felt like being a part of something important, and that was exciting.
Crystal had enjoyed the many crime-based TV shows back in the Matrix, especially the scenes with last-minute instructions before
launching a mission. She wished many times to be one of the characters experiencing that sensation, taking part in something that could save lives
or help the world. Then one day, she was unplugged, and her wish came true: she could live out those scenes.
The Resistance missions are more important than any TV show... The whole of humanity's fate depended on their successes.
Jayman's voice and glance pulled her back from her thoughts.
"This is Crystal, commander, first-contact specialist, and first officer."
Commander Crystal... How strange this rank sounds without the "Lieutenant," she wondered. She still couldn't get used to
the fact that she held the second highest rank on the ship. Although she was proud of her promotion, she missed her old rank a bit. She loved how
the title "Lieutenant Commander" sounded so cool. It's silly, but sometimes I wish I could get my old rank back... just because of its coolness.
"She is my second pair of eyes and ears."
Crystal almost blushed by Jayman's claim. And what else? she wondered, glancing at him and suppressing her smile. What
if you could read my mind right now?... I'd be really curious about that... Hey, Crys, stop these thoughts, you're on duty, remember?
She glanced away from him, and turned to the others, smiling slightly. She listened to the introductions of the rest of the crew,
noting their information, studying their looks. Crystal was amazed by Hitch's history and Miriam's skills despite of her physical handicap. She knew
she'd like Miriam. Her cheerful, smiling look amazed her. And there was Libertad, the Spanish-looking girl whom she helped to rescue... three years
had already passed...
Jayman stepped back towards Crystal, scratching his scalp, which always made her grin. This move was a habit of his, maybe
conscious, maybe subconscious, and she found it amusing. It reminded her of a little boy, so innocent and spontaneous. She also loved the cool
move as he put his cap back on his head. It wasn't a move of a captain, rather a guy from the normal world. These little things were also reasons
why she liked him, why she loved him.
Some signs of humanity in this desperate years of war.
"...and this is Avalon, our chief medic..." Jayman announced.
"Hello, darlings," the last crewmate said.
Finally! Crystal sighed, then sneered. But Avalon, you better have a very good excuse for your delay.
"Now that everyone's here," Jayman continued seriously, "our next mission is to resume the reconnaissance mission that was
aborted two weeks ago..."
The Lotus mission... that fateful day... Fall's death... that quarrel with Andy... Jayman's silence on the other side of that
phone call... It was only two weeks ago?... It feels like ages...
"Any questions?"
Crystal looked at the others, waiting.
POST 021 / NOS / CORE / HITCHHIKER:
The captain concluded, "So this is your last chance to change your mind and stay in Zion. Any questions?"
From his operator chair, Hitch looked to Miriam on his left, then clockwise to Crystal, Jayman, Avalon, and finally Libertad on his right.
I pledged to join your crew and fight the Machines... I was born to do this... I'm not leaving... I'm ready...
Returning to Jayman, he knitted his thick black eyebrows and shook his head.
No questions from me...
POST 022 / NOS / CORE / AVALON:
CLANG! CLANG! CLANG!
Avalon's boots jarred the ramp as she ran, bogged down with medical supply boxes and her bag. She could hear voices coming
from the Core, as she dropped her burdens, and climbed the ladder to the next deck.
"...and this is Avalon, our chief medic..."
"Hello, darlings," she smiled sweetly. Noting the look of scorn on Crystal's face, she turned up the kilowattage.
Ahh, it's nice to see you're still perfect, Crys.
Glancing around at her new crew, Avalon didn't need their introductions, for she had spent the last week studying each of their
histories, medical and otherwise. As the captain droned on, she smiled at her new medical assistant, Libertad. Avalon had been there when she had
been unplugged, and it was nice to see the fruits of an often-unsuccessful labor.
"Any questions?"
"Just an apology, captain," Avalon said. "I was forced to stop for syringes that had been left off our cargo lists. I am sorry for
the delay."
And since I have no other choice, let's get this show on the road.
POST 023 / NOS / CORE / MIRIAM:
"Any questions?" the captain asked.
Miriam glanced around to her new captain and crewmates... her first captain and crewmates... her first crew...
She puffed her cheeks and softly let the air seep out. So many new names... Crystal, Libertad, Avalon... Fall, Andy, Lotus...
So many questions... Who is Andy? Who is Fall? Oh, was that the operator who died? How? Why?... Lotus? Is that a boy? A girl?...
So many things but... Maybe I should ask Crystal... She looks so strong... I hope I'm good enough...
CORE / MIRIAM & JAYMAN:
"Just an apology, captain..." the chief medic said. "... I am sorry for the delay."
The captain grinned with a nod, "I appreciate the apology, Avalon. Don't worry, no harm done." Straightening, he looked to the
others. "Anything else?"
Miriam smiled. Avalon... Hello, darlings... She seems funny... Do I share my quarters with her? No, wait, that's Libertad with
the beautiful hair... Speaking of hair, seeing Crystal and Avalon... Does Jayman prefer redheads?... Like Hitch preferred Milly?
With her hand over her smiling mouth, she coughed -- Cough! Cough! -- to cover her chuckle at the wild thought of Hitch with
Crystal or Avalon. As swiftly as she could, she wiped the smile off her face.
But it wasn't swift enough. Glancing back up, Miriam caught the captain eying her silently but suspiciously.
Oops.
And like before, the captain turned away. "Anything else before we launch?"
POST 024 / NOS / CORE / LIBERTAD:
Libertad grinned at Avalon. She perfectly remembered her, just like she remembered Jay or Crystal. They had saved her life
and she owed them for that. Now she was free. Her life in Zion hadn't been a fairytale, but at least it had made sense.
She looked at the pullover she was wearing and half-smiled. I guess I was really desperate, she thought,
I had it all now I have nothing. But all that nothing is real, isn't it? I'm a 18-year-old medic in a ship. It's scary... but being a snobbish
little bitch wasn't my destiny. Or that's what I thought... let's hope I wasn't wrong. I'd like to be 20 one day.
"This is Libertad, our youngest crewmate, freed by Kan-chiang three years ago. While officially, she is Avalon's medical
assistant, she will also assist Hitch and Miriam with ship maintenance, and when necessary, provide assistance in the Matrix..."
That was what Jayman had said. That made her think, analyzing the words carefully.
Could that be true? No, obviously not. She said to herself that she wouldn't be that lucky.
"Errr... excuse me, sir," Libertad said shyly, "does that mean I'm not entering the Matrix too often? I mean, for me it's ok,
I just wanted to know it. There's a lot I can do and learn here."
POST 025 / NOS / CORE / JAYMAN:
"Anything else before we launch?" Captain Jayman asked his new crew.
"Errr... excuse me, sir..." Libertad spoke up, wondering timidly and curiously about her role in the Matrix. "...There's a lot I
can do and learn here."
Setting his dark eyes upon her, Jayman nodded. "Yes, I know. You have potential. But returning to the Matrix isn't like
returning to a picnic. Never treat being a target so lightly or casually..." His gaze seemed to darken like the shadow of a passing cloud, as his
right hand instinctively reached for his left side, for his old bullet wound.
He continued, "Unless Crystal or I direct otherwise, your primary responsibility is to assist Avalon, so listen to her. When I
think you're properly combat-trained and suited for a particular mission, I'll let you know."
After a slight pause, Jayman looked to the others. "Well, if there's nothing else..." He waited another moment, then tugged
the cap tighter to his head.
"It's time for departure."
COCKPIT / JAYMAN:
With a minute to spare -- 0659 -- Jayman dropped into his pilot's chair, checked the communication, navigation, and
propulsion systems one more time, and activated the external comm system.
"This is the Nosferatu to Zion Control. Requesting permission for departure through Gate 2..."
"Permission granted, Nosferatu. You are cleared for departure through Gate 2. Good luck."
"Roger that, Control," the captain acknowledged. "Thank you."
With the full hum of its electromagnetic engines, the century-old hovercraft rose from its docking bay, ascending and
turning through the cavernous dock space, and floated towards the opened APU-guarded gate.
END SEQUENCE I.
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