The mining terminal's dock brimmed with the energy of workers loading and unloading ore and supplies. When the Lemurias set down, the young mechanics who spotted her grinned with open curiosity.
"What era is that ship from?" "That's a model you wouldn't even see in a museum." "Wait—it's still in service? It actually moves?" "Did it time-slip here or something?"
Heh heh—judging her by looks alone, what a pity for them. Marking 'delivery complete' on the Lemurias's cargo list, I gave a big stretch.
Just then, a booming voice rang out behind me. "You—you're the courier, right?" I turned to find a man in work clothes. Short hair, a square face. His skin was so sooty I couldn't tell if he was dark-complexioned or just grimed with ore dust, and he had a solid, powerful build honed by work on the ground.
"Yes—Celestina Eshtal. And you are?" "Sorry to bother you when you're worn out. Name's Dyson. Dyson MacGregor. I'm an engineer here."
"Dyson the engineer, then. Something you need from me?" "Well, actually... I've got a bit of a favor to ask..."
Glancing warily around him, Dyson held out a small box. Neatly wrapped—out of place in those rugged hands. In one corner was pasted a card that read "To Kitty," in a cute little script.
"...It's my daughter's birthday. I really want to get this to my family on planet Moldi, in the Zel system..." Dyson lowered his voice, looking bashful.
"A birthday present! ...I love that—that kind of delivery. It's what makes a courier's job worth doing. And the destination being Moldi, no less—how lovely."
Moldi, in the Zel system, is hugely famous as a resort planet—ninety percent of its surface covered by ocean. I'd pictured it as a place where the wealthy live at their leisure, but everyone's got their own circumstances, I suppose.
"You'll take it?! Thank you, thank you—!!" Dyson pressed a hand to his chest in relief and bowed deeply.
"How old is your daughter turning?" "She's about to be four. I'd promised I'd be home by then, but... trouble broke out here on-site. I can't up and leave right now. Really, you're a lifesaver."
"That's rough. But the timing wasn't bad, it seems. Leave it to me. I forget it these days, but my motto as a courier is: 'We deliver your feelings.'"
I received the package—those feelings—with care, and took a portion of the payment properly, in advance.
"Still, that's one seriously seasoned ship. She's active, isn't she? I'd love to get in and tinker with every last corner of her... look at those joints... never seen a thruster like this... an ancient custom job, or else something from some other star system entirely..."
Muttering to himself, Dyson ran his eyes over the Lemurias's hull as if drinking it in. Unlike the others, he seemed to have a discerning eye.
The Lemurias slid quietly into her dock.
On the way I stopped at Elrad IV to resupply and checked the Window for any deliveries bound for the Zel system. Sadly, no such convenient job turned up, so this time I'd be setting off carrying just 'one lone present.' A hefty loss was guaranteed—but it was a job where I got to carry 'feelings,' so I'll count it as a win.
I'd been hoping, just a little, that I might run into Gilbert again—but that didn't come true either. Feeling a loneliness seep through my chest, I realized that my 'just a little' had, in fact, been a fairly earnest hope.
"Docking confirmed. Travel procedures for the Zel system will require additional document submission and a cargo inspection." "A cargo inspection? They don't usually run one of those... I wonder if something's happened."
While we were at it, an inspection drone flew over. The cargo hold was empty. I presented the freight—the present—I'd brought into the cockpit as hand luggage, and let it be scanned. No problem, naturally.
"Now then—I'll leave the rest of the procedures to you. I'll go kill time in the lounge, so let me know once the departure time's set." "Roger. Off you go, Master."
In the lounge I poured synthetic coffee into a paper cup and dropped into an empty seat. (The coffee I brew aboard the Lemurias really is better. I did want to treat Gil to it~.)
Lost in such thoughts, I sipped my coffee while vacantly watching a big monitor. Then—whump!—someone dropped into the seat right beside me. There were plenty of empty seats, so why on earth right next to me?! I shot a glare their way—
"Yo! Meeting again in a place like this—makes a fella feel the hand of fate, doesn't it." "Huh? Wha—?! Gil! How? Ehhh?!" "I saw the Lemurias coming in to dock, is all."
"That pattern again? You don't actually live here, do you?" "Hahaha, hardly. I was on my way to the Zel system, but... here I am, stranded yet again. Some kind of curse, maybe... or if not that—fate playing tricks?"
"Heh, it's surely the curse. (It's absolutely fate! A coincidence like this can't be real!)"
Just then, an announcement echoed through the concourse. 【Attention, passengers bound for the Zel system—】 The gist of it was that the route to the Zel system was under blockade, with no prospect of reopening.
"A blockade?! What's going on... Lilith, do you know anything?" "(The latest operational data confirms the regular route to the Zel system is fully blockaded. Reopening time undetermined. ... ... Some kind of trouble seems to have arisen on the Zel-system side, but much of the information appears to be rumor, and the details are unclear.)"
Once again, I had a nasty feeling I was about to get tangled up in some strange trouble. But this cargo had to be delivered before the birthday... "(Lilith, let's go by solo warp.)"
"(Understood, Master. It can't be helped. Might I suggest you invite Gilbert along as well? If we collect a fare, it would thin our losses at least a little.)"
Honestly, Lilith—is she looking out for me? Well, I was going to invite him anyway, without being told. It's just, if I say it too eagerly, it'll be painfully obvious that I want Gil aboard, and that's no fun.
"Say, Gil. Here's a thought—if you'd like, I could give you a lift again, you know?" "Hm? I'd be glad for the ride, but—the route's blockaded, isn't it?"
"That's a separate matter. Couriers have—well, rather, I have my own private route, if I told you that?" "Seriously...? That's a tempting offer, but... my finances, though... and this time I'm not in all that much of a hurry..."
Huh? What? Am I being turned down? "O-oh, I see... You did help me out last time, so you really needn't worry about the fare, though~."
"Oh!? Well, if you put it like that, I can hardly refuse. By all means—I'll impose on you again!" "Ah, y-yeah. (In the end it came out like I was passionately inviting him... but oh well, whatever.)"
Oh, but promise me one thing. The route I'm about to show you—I need you to keep it absolutely secret. I'm guessing that, journalistically speaking, it's the scoop of scoops, but..." "Ha, leave it to me. I'm the tight-lipped sort, and I'd never sell out a friend."
"Good. I'll trust you." "Come to think of it, I still haven't had that 'proud coffee' of yours." "Heh heh—I'll treat you, then. Lilith, one more passenger!" "(Roger, Master. A shame we won't be collecting a fare...)"
The Lemurias pressed on through the silence.
"Yo! Lilith! Been a few days. In your care again!" "Welcome, Gilbert. It is an honor to see you once more."
On the sub-monitor were displayed the blockaded route and the non-standard route Lilith had calculated. "I cannot guarantee safety along the way, but I have secured the shortest route to the Zel system. ...Course set, complete. We can depart at any time."
"So there really is such a thing as a courier's route?" Gilbert peered at the monitor, intrigued. "Mm—well, rather, I'll let you in on a piece of this ship's—the Lemurias's—secret. Keep it from everyone else, all right?" I let the corners of my mouth curl up smugly.
"First, let's get going. Lemurias—launch—!"
"Warp drive online. Setting coordinates... ... Complete. Gravity canceler deployed. Warp drive at critical. Ready to warp at any time." "W-wait just a second. The Lemurias can't... warp on its own... can it?"
"I told you, didn't I? That I'd 'show you a piece of the Lemurias's secret.' Lilith, lock coordinates. Engage warp!" "Acknowledged. All systems, all green. Beginning countdown—three, two, one—" "Hey, hey?! You've gotta be kiddiiing—?!"
The starfield on the external monitor stretched out into streaks of light. The ship was enveloped in an eerie silence and a faint vibration, as if gliding through a rift in spacetime—
"Warp complete. Confirming coordinates... ... We are approximately 9 AU from planet Moldi, in the Zel system." "You've gotta be kidding... Aren't warp drives supposed to be enormous—only mountable on super-dreadnoughts?" "My Lemurias is special."
"So it is... The ship's special, sure, but Lilith is too... isn't she. We've been chatting like it's nothing, but she's got so much human warmth I keep forgetting she's an AI. Too much, even." "May I take that as a compliment?" "Hahaha—of course, in the best sense!"
"Thank you, Gil. Master, shall I prepare our finest coffee over in the break room?" "Yes, let's. It's still a little way to Moldi, so please do." "Oh! The 'proud coffee,' is it?! I've got a real weakness for the genuine article~."
"Heh, I hope you'll like it. This way, Gil." Had she warped us out at that slightly awkward distance so I could spend a little longer with Gilbert? Really, that Lilith—. Something deep in my chest went faintly warm, and at the same time my heartbeat seemed to tick up just a touch.
Beyond the cockpit window, still far off, planet Moldi shone small.