Chapter 7
Beckett stood, not really thinking about what he would do next, grabbed the charts, and climbed to the bridge and knocked.
Lenny answered and gestured him through to Captain Aria.
“Yes, Beckett?” She jotted into a notebook then closed it and stashed it away on a shelf.
Beckett glanced around the bridge. this was his first time there. He was unsure whether the large amount of buttons and screens, flashing lights and beeping noises made him feel more comfortable or not. It was a little unnerving that so much information was necessary for this ship’s safe passage.I hope Captain Aria knows what she’s doing.He gulped and drew his attention back to Captain Aria who was waiting with her brows up, incredulous, like she knew what he was thinking.
“Yes, um Captain, can I speak with you?”
She said curtly, “You are.” Why was it that every interaction with her seemed to turn him into a complete ass? It would be better if he had a plan, but no, he jumped without thinking. Every conversation. And they mattered.
“I just got off the radio — Luna, um, the young woman?” He shifted his feet. “And thank you for the radio again.”
Captain Aria said, “Your point please?”
“Oh yes, um, she’s missing.”
Captain Aria squinted her eyes. “Missing for how long?”
Beckett drew air before saying, “Thirty-seven hours. She’s in a storm, by herself, the radio cut out, and now there’s been no contact.” He hoped she would consider that long enough to be concerned.
Captain Aria leveled her gaze and stared at him imperiously. “For thirty-seven hours.”
He met it. “Yes.” He tried for confident and worried, both, in turns.
“How often did you speak before?” Her hands went to her hips.
“Except for the first day, every twenty-four, without fail. Sometimes more often.”
Captain Aria nodded. “John, Lenny, will you please look over the charts with Beckett? You have her latest coordinates?”
“Yes,” Beckett unfurled the charts on the map table. He pointed to Luna’s final coordinates, circled, with dark pencil, around and around. That looked a little desperate. But he hadn’t thought to erase it — hadn’t thought. Why was he like this, acting without thinking? Like an animal. A cornered animal.
John and Lenny conferred. They agreed that she was probably near the outer edge of the Sierra Islands. They asked Captain Aria about the weather. She said, “That whole area is under Severe Weather Advisory Sierra Squall season. I can see the bank of clouds from here. It’s not particularly safe on a boat, but alone on a…” Her voice drifted off. She returned to sitting in her high seat, in front of the wheel, and looked out the bridge window at the horizon.
Lenny said, “Would take us about six hours to get close enough.”
Beckett’s head snapped up. Were they actually discussing going? He hadn’t considered it a possibility. He hoped. But actually going had seemed a long shot.
Captain Aria said, “I will give you the chance to ask Rebecca, Sarah, and the group. If they are finished with the bulk of their research and willing to go out of the way, we’ll discuss the change of course.”
Beckett said, “Oh my — thank —” Her hand shot up, stopping him mid sentence.
“I’m not saying yes. Ask the researchers, they get to make the final decision.”
Beckett said, “Okay, definitely.” He made to roll up the charts, but Captain Aria stopped him.
“We’ll need those. Leave them.”
Beckett made an awkward half-bow out of the room and jogged to the galley.
“Rebecca! Sarah!”
