Though, if any ship needed a total overhaul, it would be this one.
The ship pulling into the dock was old, literally centuries, and it looked every year of it. She couldn’t tell what the original paint color was, if it ever had one, because it had been either bleached to white, burned to black, or scraped off entirely. It was nothing special shape wise – just a standard, boxy cargo style ship. It seemed to have some credz put into the defense systems, because those looked new. However, everything else had clearly been pieced together, repaired, and re-repaired over the decades. Like a threadbare patchwork quilt of metal.
The bright lights of Dock Eleven were harsh on the old, beat up body as the ship came into position. Stabilizing columns, meant to anchor ships against the dock, came out to attach to anchor points all around the outside. Those would hold it securely in place while work was being done. That ship was almost too small for Dock Eleven, but it was still too large to be allowed to go planetside. Therefore, it had no stable base upon which it could rest. Since the ship’s engine would be completely turned off for repairs, including the feature that would usually keep it stable and unmoving in relation to Hir-Fallow, it had to be stabilized externally. Hence the columns that were locking it in place.
It moved well, she could admit. No stuttering, no over corrections. Smooth and graceful, like she would expect from a modern ship. While she watched, the docking tunnel extended out, going to meet up with the large, rear stowage door. Using that door would allow them to do whatever work they might need easily without needing to worry about size restrictions. The ship was surrounded on both sides by the rest of the dock, but those walls made no attempt to close around it. If exterior repairs needed to be done, suited and tethered workers woulduse those outer walls as a base. For now though, they were empty and quiet as the team gathered at the indoor section of the docks.
Pulling up the ship’s contact information, she got ready for her usual welcoming spiel as she commed their bridge.
The smooth, pleasantly humming tone that answered her said, “This is Sway, navigator of the Humility.”
She smiled. “Greetings, Sway. This is Grace. I will be the dock master for your time here while under the care of Uver Prime. Welcome to Dock Eleven. We are currently securing your rear stowage door to the docking tunnel, as well as the power and life support ports. The moment they’re secured, we will be taking over those operations during the length of your stay. If you’ve followed the instructions we sent ahead, your ship should already be ready for a full connection, but if you have not, I’m happy to walk you through the steps you need to take.”
Grace paused then, waiting for a response.
Silence. Absolutely nothing. Not even the sound of breathing. She kept waiting for a reply, but when one didn’t come, she frowned. It couldn’t be heard in her voice, however, as she asked-
“Hello? Are you still there?”
“Er… yes…” Came the hesitant reply. He sounded stunned.
“Is there a problem?”
“Er… I mean, no. No. There’s no problem. I’m sorry.” She heard him clear his throat and could practically see him straightening in his chair. “Thank you for your care, Grace.”
“Of course.” She smiled again. “I’m here to make this process as easy as possible. So, if you ever have any questions or concerns, you can always contact me. Once we have you connected to the tunnel, you and your crew are free to come into the station. There is a blue line on the path that will guide anyone who wishes to go to the lift that will bring you to the station proper. I do, however, need at least one member of the crew to stay behind so we can do the initial inspection together.”
“That will be me. I’ll be supervising all the work. My captain, the owner of the ship, is Tanin A’Faar. He will be going with his mate into the station. If you need his authority for anything, I can get in contact with him. He has also told me where he’ll be staying if I have to find him.”
“Perfect.” She said, approving the tunnel connection when it popped up on her display. “I’ll be sending you a list of the dock crew members who will be working on your ship. However, no one will step foot inside until after the initial inspection and the finalized agreement for approved upgrades and repairs, and, of course, only with your full permission. Shall I put you down as the primary contact?”
“That will… be fine.”
“Great. That is updated in your file. The docking tunnel is connected and secured. As are the life support and energy cables. You can begin powering down your ship now. Your crew is free to come and go. I will be down shortly so that you and I can do the inspection together.”
“Alright.”
“Do you need anything from me for now, Sway?”
“Er, do you…”
“Hm?” She cocked her head when his voice trailed off. But he didn’t continue.
“Never mind. I will see you soon.”
“See you soon,” she agreed before cutting the comm.
Strange guy. Was he nervous? That was fine. Being friendly and personable was a trait she’d been trained in since birth. Never dominate a conversation, Grace, but never let it lag either – as her mother would say. A properly bred and trained lady should always know the difference. Even if you are trapped in a conversation with a statue, it should still flow smoothly.
It was annoying how often those lessons she hated as a child proved useful as an adult. Though, she did take some satisfaction in knowing her mother definitely didn’t intend for her to use them the way she did.
Before leaving her desk, Grace went through one last check of all her docks, making sure that everything was in order. Dock Three hadn’t vacated yet, Dock Ten was empty, the exterminator for Twenty-three messaged back saying she was on her way, Eleven was docked now and waiting. Dock Twenty-four had started cleaning. Dock Twenty-five and Twenty-six had were both hard at work doing the scheduled repairs for the day.
Satisfied that everything was going well, and no one needed her immediately, she grabbed her tablet off the table and turned in her chair-
Only to cry out in scared shock at the huge male standing behind her. She let out a quick breath, covering her racing heart as her boss laughed at her.
He was a baemoth male, which meant he was massive. Baemoth males and females both were huge, though in verydifferent ways. The females were extremely skinny, but very tall. The males were tall in comparison to her, though not as much as their females, but their real size came from their huge bodies. They had four arms and more muscles than really necessary. Their skin was beige, and they all had large horns on their heads, sweeping back from their forehead and pointing behind them. They also had black and teal scales, but they were sparingly dotted across their bodies. The fewer scales they had, the more attractive the males were considered to be. If her boss had any, she’d never seen them.
