Sliding Reality: Chapter 9 Part 3 of 5 (Patreon)

Luke hung back from his family as they passed from the 'working' sections of the station and into the living areas. His father doing the same, their eyes scanning everyone they passed.

He felt naked without armor and weapon. Unable to get the images from Sphere World out of his mind.

"Little Addie!" A man's voice boomed, with the underlying note of laughter.

"Uncle Raffi," Luke's mother smiled as a tanner bear of a man with dreadlocks wrapped her up in a hug.

"Look at you, even more beautiful the last time I saw you," He laughed and held her by the shoulders and hugged her again with a laugh. He turned and grabbed Stephen's hand, the two of them a similar size, and both sharing a grin.

"What's up you old smuggler."

Raffi made show of putting a finger to his mouth and saying sssh as loud as possibly. He winked at the others and pulled Stephen into a quick hug.

"Ah, not much, just helping my runaway family and god-kids." He patted Stephen on the shoulder.

"Raffi-"

"Bah, you're family and family look out for one another," Raffi cut him off. "Now, look at you three! Marissa look at how tall you've become," He hugged her.

"Uncle Raffi."

"Don't worry I'll let you play with the cutter," Raffi winked.

Marissa snorted and laughed.

"I was wondering why she was smiling for weeks after we left last time," Adeline drawled. "If I remember she didn't have the hours on her license to do more than a five ton shuttle."

"Huh, well," Raffi scratched his head and shrugged, as Marissa grinned and found the decking interesting.

"Joey, getting tall, already bigger than your father." Raffi grabbed his arm, an impressed look on his face as he drew Joey into a hug. Joey tensed and returned it.

"Maybe as tall but not as big, Luke has that," Joey said.

"Hah, and more brains than your old man. I hear that you are looking to work in a yard maybe, there are some spots open in my yard if you're interested," Raffi raised an eyebrow. "Won't help you out other than push you in the right direction, rest would be up to you."

"Umm," Joey's eyes darted for his parents. Luke smiled, a subdued thing as he watched on.

"Don't need to make a decision now and it is your decision," Raffi glanced at Adeline and Stephen who looked away.

Raffi patted him on the back with a smile and looked at Luke. His smile faded, his eyes flickering over him and then back to Stephen, his expression blank. Stephen looked at Luke half closing his eyes and nodded assent.

Raffi took in a deep breath and patted Luke on the shoulder and brought him into a hug, his voice low so only Luke could hear him.

"You've had a hellish few days. If you need someone to talk to-I'll be here. You did the right thing."

Luke ground his teeth and nodded, clearing his throat to talk. "Thank you Uncle Raffi."

Raffi tightened his hug for a second and released gripping his shoulders and looking in his eyes to press his words home.

"Alright, follow me." Raffi led them through the station, waving to people as he wandered, it seemed that he knew everyone as they passed through, reaching a office.

"Take a seat, help yourself to the snacks. Anyone want a drink?"

"Tea please," Adeline said.

"Same," Stephen said.

"Water," Marissa said.

"Water please," Luke said.

"I'm good thanks," Joey said.

Raffi dished out drinks from the pots on a table between two couches and armchairs around a table of snacks that they picked at.

"Alright," Raffi checked around to make sure that they all had something in their hands.

"First of all, I'm proud of every one of you, most people would sit on this kind of information. You did a hell of a thing. The traders associations have your backs on this, that said, from the people I have talked to, it is safer if you keep under the radar for some time." He looked around the room.

"The new codes and registration are easy, the next thing will be to alter your ship," He tapped the table that was smart glass, tapped out a few commands and brought a hologram out above the table showing the Dahlia as she was and the new ship.

"We're going to upgrade your plant, hot swap that with a ship that's nearly done being built. Going to alter the struts, and give you an overhaul."

"Raffi, that's going to cost a lot." Stephen shuffled in his seat.

"The workers are taking half wages as are the material suppliers. You looked out for one of our own, now we're going to look after you. We're including a net node for your ship, should punch through some of the jamming. It won't take long to outfit Georgin."

"What are we going to do after this, they must know our faces, they'll track us down." Adeline said.

"Stick to populated systems. Coalition, the stronger Settled Systems. No backwater systems or blind jumps. The Federation are out and looking for you. They're being discreet but the trader's association trace every ship that's flying and their patterns are erratic. They look bad for the attack on both stations. Do you know where Ramirez is? We need to protect him as soon as possible. While they'd like to get their hands on you, they're hunting him down."

Raffi looked at Adeline who looked at Luke.

"I haven't heard anything from him since he sent me that message and told me to open it later."

"If he shows up, get in contact with him and get him in contact with me, we need to protect him."

If it was a week ago I'd argue the Federation wouldn't do anything. Now I'm pretty sure they would.

"Have you been keeping up with events?" Raffi asked.

Luke shook his head, while there were varying head nods.

"Okay, to get everyone up to date. The Cruiser Captain is being charged with crimes against humanity by the Coalition, the Federation are saying it was an accident by the station and that they were owed those materials. They are also saying that the captain was ambushed by the unknown ship, they're saying that it might be connected to the people on the station, passing information and such. No one else has admitted they own the ship. Some people are saying that it was made by Sphere World."

"Bullshit," Joey shook his head.

"Pretty much, but a lie that can't be disproved. The different factions are clamping down on Sphere World gamers. Many aren't able to do anything. Some are selling off some of their stuff to Sphere World on a loan basis and using those credits to leave for Settled systems or some bold ones are actually going to Orion. People are building up habitable stations and there are habitats inside Sphere World. Luke I hear that you are part of Legion, you have any more information?"

Luke ran his tongue over the roof of his mouth and let out a sigh.

"We have been building life sustaining stations for a couple of days now, we have one shipyard that is focused on building just stations."

"Do you have others?" Joey asked.

"We do, but I'm not sure how much information I should share. We are all under NDA's to make sure that we don't pass on too much information, it was to make sure the guilds weren't able to learn more than we wanted." Luke shrugged.

"These stations, can you talk about them more?"

"Sure, they are being built to house people in mind. Mitch wanted to build them so that Legion gamers who were under threat by their factions could have somewhere to retreat too. I thought it was a little crazy when he first said it, now I'm not so sure."

"Well that brings up the second kind of route you can run. Passenger run, jump into a system, pick up people and jump to Sphere World."

"Isn't that just going to piss more people off?"

"It might, but you've got a blind jump capable ship, you can fit yourself with hab-containers and just do runs. There are plenty of people who are looking to get out. My ships have never been busier." Raffi said.

"We can't take the kids into this," Adeline said, gaining frowns.

Raffi laughed before they could say anything. "Addie, they might be your children, but they're all adults now."

Adeline opened her mouth, closing it and twisting her mouth and sighed. "When did that happen?" She shook her head with a wry smile on her face.

Luke smiled drinking the tea, his thoughts drifting to the fire fight in Sphere World.

"So, let me know what you want to do and we'll work it out okay?" Now, you can rest here if you want, the ship is going to be pulled apart and it'll be easier if they can just open her up to atmosphere. Joey if you want to watch or join in, just let me know."

"I'd be in for it," Joey smiled.

Luke's screen vibrated and he pulled it out.

>Meeting URGENT [Foster]