Kashari
Station didn’t boast much in the way of amenities. Most Consortium stations
boasted complex speculative marketplaces and warehouses with assortments of
goods. Kashari, though, only had basic goods directly for sale, and no marketplace.
Instead, they were a stellar cartographer’s dream.
The
Consortium didn’t have a formal exploration program, like the Alliance, instead
encouraging private citizens to explore the galaxy. This was the farthest point
both coreward and widdershins in the Consortium, where people ventured into the
unknown, and infrequently returned with their charts. Consequently, Kashari had
the most advanced navigational charts and software in the region, all privately
developed, so it came without the bureaucratic nonsense typical of the Alliance
software.
Flynn was
reviewing the charts he just purchased, and the accompanying software upgrades
for Calypso, when he bumped into
someone.
“Excuse
me—” he began.
“Watch
where you’re flaring going!—” A familiar voice cursed.
“Ann?”
“Flynn?
What in blazes are you doing here?”
“Me? What
are you doing here? I just upgraded our star charts.”
“Um, the
same. I was just going to do that.”
“Well, don’t
bother, now. Let’s get back to the ship.”
This is odd. She doesn’t do things without
being ordered, not like this.
Her eyes
darted from him to the Cartography Center.
“What is it?”
“I still
need to go in there.”
He cocked
his head to the side, arching an eyebrow. “Are you feeling all right? You
don’t’ volunteer for duties.”
“Fine!” She
rolled her eyes. “I need the charts and data on the Seven.”
“The Seven?
Wait, the Celestial Seven? They’re around here, somewhere, aren’t they?”
“Yes, which
is why I need the data.”
“But that’s
a pilgrimage site. I never pegged you for the spiritual stuff.”
“I’m not,
voidbrain. You joined the Fleet because you had your overly-developed sense of
duty. Defend and protect, blah blah blah. I joined because I wanted to explore.
I wanted to see and fly to the
wonders of the galaxy. But since we have to scrounge around to get anywhere, at
least I’ll be able to look at the charts and vids of the area.”
Flynn
rubbed his chin, then stepped aside. “Go.”
Ann didn’t
wait, pushing past him.
“Ann.”
“What?” She
looked at the ceiling, clearly exasperated.
“Find out
what the pilgrims might need in terms of supplies; we can do a trade run.”
She looked
at him, then. Her eyes narrowed in skepticism, but then she finally nodded and
went through the door.