Parallel: United Front

Chapter 22: Recap

Slums Junkyard, Kudan.

1310 Hours, 30th July, 3039.

Bzzt!

Sparks flew in Ventura's workshop. A silent Dee wore a pair of protective goggles as she worked on a couple of blasters for one of her most persistent customers. The young woman's furrowed brows and harsh gaze belied her deep concentration. Dee took great pride in her engineering work. She always gave it her all, no matter how great or small the given task.

"Hmm?" Dee looked up for the first time at a series of blinking lights on a board. "They're back?"

"Yo, Dee!" As if summoned, the devastatingly handsome Dayle waved as he walked into the room. The radi wore his trademark grin as he jerked a thumb towards the ceiling -or more aptly, the dining area above. "Did you clean up? It's spotless!"

Dayle was pleasantly surprised. Ventura's interiors were beyond nasty when he logged out. In just over a day, Dee had somehow cleaned the entire ship? He could almost see his reflection on the walls. That's how good a job she'd done.

"I didn't," Dee denied and then turned her attention back to the blaster. "Hired a few grifters off the slums to do the job. Figured if we're gonna work together, might as well make this place a bit more hospitable." The sparks hid her expression as she muttered, "It's nothing fancy, but it works, right?"

Dayle chuckled as he picked up and then examined a busted rifle. "Yeah, well, it ain't the Ritz, but it certainly works for us." The young man smiled and then added, "A little paint, and a bit of love, and she'll be a real beaut in no time."

The sparks momentarily stopped, revealing Dee's bright smile. "Thanks."

"Careful Dee, that's how he snags his victims," Raines warned the young woman as she walked in with Arthur.

"Good morning, Dee." Arthur greeted with a smile warm enough to thaw a snowman.

Dee returned his smile with one of her own. "Morning, Arthur. You rest well?"

"Mm-hm." Arthur nodded in affirmation and then walked over to her side. "What are you working on?"

Dee raised the blaster. "A friend of mine jammed her blaster while running from a creep the other day. Luckily, she managed to put one through his legs before it jammed. She needs it fixed before she goes out to work tonight. You can't leave home without a blaster in the slums. Especially at night."

"Oh. That sounds terrible." Arthur's brows furrowed in worry. "I hope your friend is okay?"

"Psh. June's made of the stern stuff." Dee snorted as she ran diagnostics on the blaster. "This barely counts as a regular Tuesday Night." The engineer heaved a sigh of relief when the diagnostic results turned up positive. "You'll come to feel the same after spending some more time here." She then smiled and knocked on the blaster. "Fixed. This oughta last her a few weeks, at least. Unfortunately, no amount of maintenance can save this low-quality trash. But, we've got to use what we got, right?"

"Mm." Arthur nodded. He then gestured at the blaster with worry. "Are you going to deliver that now? Do you want us to follow you?"

Dee smiled and then patted Arthur's arm. "That's sweet, but, except for illegal materials, I try not to do physical delivery these days."

"Oh?" Dayle looked up from the weapon he'd been eyeing. "You use drones?"

"Kinda." Dee nodded and then tapped an instruction into her gauntlet. Seconds later, a small robot sat up from a nearby bench. The clunky looking machine had a flat platform that sat on a pair of thick, sturdy synthetic legs. "I call them workers. Drones are strictly prohibited within the Dome without prior authorization. These babies can carry out my deliveries for me via land."