The ship was quiet except for a faint melody that periodically swept her from stem to stern. Captain Menelas cocked his head, trying to place it. He couldn't, not without leaving the bridge. After several more moments -- trying to focus on the faulty scanner, being distracted by the intermittent sound -- he gave up and decided to give the ship a once-over. He pulled open the hatch and climbed down into the access corridor. He was given an option here of going starboard or port... the music dictated starboard. That was the direction of the crew's quarters.
The design of the Orca was carefully planned. She had a spacious stateroom for the captain directly below and aft of the bridge. Starboard she had three cabins about half the size of the captain's. Each could be fitted with either single or bunk beds, so the ship could have as many as six crew members. He had her outfitted for the comfort of his crew so that each man had his own cabin, separated by a spare cabin currently being used for stowing excess gear. To port could be found the galley and the head as well as the crew lounge, where they ate their meals together. Both corridors eventually made a complete loop and met at a single access hatch that dropped down into the cargo bay below.
Rage worked his way down the corridor to his left, listening intently for the music. Suddenly it stopped and so did he. Three or four seconds later it started again and now he had a fix on it. It was coming from Sledge's cabin. At three in the morning (ship time, which he kept in sync with Houston time) the old boy should have been out like a lamp. But he obviously wasn't. The distinct strains of a laser guitar came peeling out through his door. Rage turned the airlock wheel slowly and pushed it gently open just as his crewman was beginning a new song.
Think you'll take the cargo from my hold?
Well, if yours was a poker hand, I'd fold!
Truth be... Don't push me;
And I won't push you back!
Else I'll spill your guts
'cross the deep dark black!
And that's the facts... truth is that's the facts!
Go on chase them ghosts across the void,
And waste your life slinking 'mongst asteroids,
Cuz if you make a choice
A pirate's life to live,
Then don't blame me for
The pirate's death I give!
That's the facts... trust me that's the facts!
Here the guitarist, back turned to the door, unaware of his audience of one, spilled into a musical refrain that lasted several moments. Then he picked up with the song lyrics again.
So my advice if I may be so bold,
So you can't never say you ain't been told,
Stay outa my way... Forget about the tax.
Cuz dying ain't much of a living, boy...
And that's the facts... truth is that's the facts!
A final refrain and it was done...
"Very nice," his captain softly clapped from the door.
"CRAP RAGE!" The big man jumped near to the ceiling in surprise, which caused his boss to break out into laughter.
"Sorry buddy, didn't mean to startle you." He caught his breath, "but what are you doing up this late?"
"Me and you both..."
"Yeah, well... call me anal but I like to stem the tide of potential trouble before it whips around and bites us in the tailpipe... I noticed a hitch in some of the sensory gear this evening as we finished that last mission. I was tweaking it."
"Well, I guess since we're stuck on this tin-can on the edge of a great big nothing, that's gonna be the only thing getting tweaked at night."
"Ha... you got that right, but..." Rage feigned a serious look of authority, "are you complaining, Mr. McLeod?"
"Naw-sir boss... just would be nice if this sad excuse for a space station had at least ONE split tail for us to pass around on occasion. And that thing they call a bar! Crap, Rage... you'd get lynched for hanging such a lofty appellation on such a dive back home!"
"Hahaha..." Sledge always could break him up... even in his soberest moods, "yeah, you're right about that... but this is where the action is..."
"Yeah, you say so..."
"Nope, 198 Hessian prisoners in cryo-sleep say so... incidentally, did you check on them before you got off watch?"
"Yep, all tucked in nice and cozy. All stats steady and right."
"Good cuz we don't get nothing for the dead ones!"
"Roger that good cap!" He winked and gave a devilish grin, which made Rage glad that he was on his side.
"Alright buddy, try to get some shut-eye... back at it first thing in the A.M."
"Righteo! See you at breakfast..."
Rage closed the door and spun the wheel. They were in dock so no real need to maintain air-tight integrity but it was a good habit to be in... Still as he left for his own cabin -- sleep suddenly sounded real good -- he wondered how long before he would be ready to face his nemesis? He wanted it to be soon but he would forestall it until he felt the ship and crew were ready... best to err on the side of caution... He wanted to make sure the dying was all on the other side.