"Blast it. I was hoping we could just hang out here and see who all is about," Captain O'Rourke muttered to Mack.
"Looking for anything in particular, Captain?" he asked in the same undertone.
"Something unusual, Mack, like this. Signal the Harbormaster we'll take the slot. Mack, you and your team scour the bars for gossip. A job well done deserves another try."
Mack grinned, his pointed canines sparkling in the lighting as he no doubt intended them to.
To arrive at ports or way stations early was not a good practice since schedules are important, so the harbormaster must be dying for any gossip from Port Sal, hoping to hear something new.
"Ensign Crele. Notify Commander Sousa when we're safely tucked in, she's cleared to begin her operations," she directed her tactical and astronomic officer.
"Aye, ma'am," he responded.
Once the ship docked, Hale moved to the OOD and Captain O'Rourke trotted to the harbormaster's office. Harbormaster Ofensa was known to be one of the shrewdest in her family of harbormasters. She was also the only one to have gotten as old as she was. Being harbormaster, used to be as dangerous as being sheriff in a growing town, long life iffy at best.
An hour later after her short exchange of information with Harbormaster Ofensa, neither woman mincing words about the pirate making a big move into their part of space, Captain O'Rourke stood in the glassed tower looking down at her ship. The elevator was taking her back down to the lower levels where Wesley was berthed. She watched with a great deal of satisfaction the teenage vixens leave with their baggage. This was their scheduled destination.
She heard that Diana had put a dent in everyone's gambling purse including the vixen that was cleaning out her crew.
"Captain O'Rourke," a bosom hailed her as she stepped off the elevator.
"Yes, bosom."
"I have a message from the harbormaster's guardsman."
She took the message. "Thank you bosom. Did you see anyone nosing around our lines?"
"No, Ma'am. Commander Sousa gave me and the others strict orders to chase off and summon assistance if the first warning is not heeded."
"Good. As you were, bosom."
"Aye, aye, Captain."
In her ready room where her maps and charts were, she opened up the communiqué. It was the official letter from Port Y notifying her that they didn't have the resources to keep LeMarks in restraint until an official from the Maritime Office came to collect him. They also didn't have the authority to grant papers on the newly made civilian, therefore, she had to take him with her. O'Rourke glared at the harbormaster's message while waiting for security to escort LeMarks to her ready room. Port Y was locking down their security and re inspecting all ships that docked. If their warning beacons were moved further out it would not surprise her.
A bell sounded for entrance.
"Enter."
LeMarks was given a slight push to step into her presence. For a few moments the two studied each other. O'Rourke found he looked better in civilian clothing that could hide most of his bulk than his uniform.
"LeMarks, you have two choices of travel on the Wesley, sleep pod or the brig."
"You have no right to fire me…"
"Muffle him, Security," she ordered. She had no intention of going through this again. He had already ranted and railed at her when she announced charges were being brought against him for impersonating an officer, and endangering her ship, and all business associated with it.
"Since Port Y doesn't want to keep you until an official comes to haul you to court, and since you are back to a civilian but without the proper papers, they have refused your disembarkment. I don't want to waste ships resources guarding you so my vote is a sleep pod. Security, take this civilian to the sleep area. He's still under arrest so put a lock on his pod." Jade was right about some passengers being better off in the pods for the duration of their trip.
Another bell sounded for entrance before she had a chance to sip her water had her silently groaning at Jade's disappearance. She was really feeling overworked.
"Enter."
Corrie stepped smartly in and gave her a snappy salute. "Captain, those girls are requesting passage to LoMace Space Station."
"Did they give a reason, Ensign?"
"Yes, ma'am. Their uncle didn't make it. They have orders to meet him at the metropolitan port."
"Two to a cabin, deck four, read them the rules and if they don't obey, they forefeit their fee and get booted off…" she pressed her fingers to her forehead. "Amend that. Alright, they end up in a sleep pod for misbehaving. We don't have time for it. Can you impress that on them Ensign?"
She grinned. "I sure can."
"Charge them the going rate, Ensign, and escort them to their quarters."
"Yes, Captain."
Captain O'Rourke looked after her wondering why she found that a delightful task. Before the elevator closed behind her she called, "Don't forget to be accompanied with security."
She heard a 'Yes ma'am' before the elevator closed.