Aois Dana
an excerpt

Before Aleksander Docked his ship with Space Station A he dressed himself in the disguise he had chosen for this trip, it wasn't much, which he found made it the best one he'd come up with yet. As he was putting on the finishing touches, he received the clear dock message from the control room.

"About time, I've been circling for hours." He said to no one in particular.

He climbed into the captain's chair of the ship and prepared for docking. He felt the familiar shape of the wheel in his right hand and ran his left slowly over the control panel. He had built this ship, he knew it like the back of his hand. The model itself was considered junk, archaic and outdated, but what Aleksander had managed to do to it, was amazing to anyone who had been lucky enough to see it.

He often joked to himself that the only reason he loved traveling was the time alone with his ship, and the bragging when he docked at a new station. This ship had become his only family, and the only thing he took care of that he hadn't killed or had to watch die yet.

He slowly manuevered the ship into postion for docking, he joined with the space station and the controller had control of his ship. He sat back in the chair and closed his eyes, docking was always hard for him. His arms felt like jelly, and his heart was pounding within the confines of his chest. He had taught himself to fly, and there weren't many safe ways to practice docking. Everytime he joined with a stop, he was flying by the seat of his pants. Always hoping for the best.

"Ceallach!" a woman's voice saying the name he had chosen as his alibi jarred him into reality.

"Your all docked hon, now come out and see me!" Aleksander recognized the voice coming over the air waves at him.

"Hetal." Aleksander said blandly. "How nice to know you are still a controller here" he replied.

He raised his hand to the sensor on the wall, and the hatch opened. Aleksander walked out into the docking room, and watched as servants bustled around his ship preparing to store it for him.

Hetal approached him, her overly robust frame bounding in the artificial gravity as she took each step.

"Need any parts for your ship this time Ceallach? She asked, much like a dog begging for scraps at an already empty table.

"No, you took care of that last time." Aleksander replied. "I had to replace your parts not two stops later as well."

"Really?!" Hetal said as she feigned remorse for her bad parts.

"Need a lady friend Ceallach? I got some that would suit you." She said as she looped her arm with his and tried to drag him over to her controller's desk "Come on and look at the pictures before you decide."

"Hetal, you know how I feel about women, and if I feel the need for one's services I would like to think I can find one myself."

"Aww come on, Ceallach, atleast look at their pictures, they's real pretty and I am sure they can all keep a good secret or two for ya." And with that she winked at Aleksander.

Aleksander cringed. "and what "secret" are you implying that I might have?"

"Aww Ceallach, I seen your scars, I can only imagine what the rest o' ya looks like.. I promise they won't cringe, or tell. C'mon that's the only real reason a man don't like to be with women… unless he likes t'other way around." Hetal said in a whisper disturbingly close to Aleksander's ear.

Aleksander placed his strong hand over Hetal's and removed his arm from the flabby loop that hers had made.

"Hetal, I need to know if there's a mechanic on this stop anymore." he said eyeing her, daring her to approach the topic of his sexuality again.

"Oh, so you do need some parts... well lemme tell you what I got!" She said rubbing her meaty palms together and walking away from Aleksander.

"Hetal!" Aleksander called after her "I do not need parts. I need a mechanic."

"Whatcha need one of those boys fer? You did all the work on your ship so far, theres nothing you can't do on her. A mechanic will only rip you off."

Aleksander raised his eyebrow towards her.

"Er I mean, they'd rip you off worse than me Ceallach, we's friends." She stuttered to him.

"Its nothing you can do for me Hetal, just point me towards the best of the lot." He reassured her, I'll pay you a finder's fee.

"Oh! Well that's a different story all together, lemme introduce you to this boy. He's a real talented one. Knows every ship inside and out, 'cept maybe yours, yours is a piece of history, he'd proll'y be exstatic for the chance to work on yours."

Aleksander watched as Hetal scurried off eager to find the mechanic and collect her finder's fee. Aleksander sighed and picked up a stack of papers up off of Hetal's desk; it was a summary of part orders. "Poor saps." Aleksander said under his breath.

"Here he is Aleksander I found him.. wasn't easy but I found him. Hetal wheezed from behind him, obviously out of breath.
"What do you mean it wasn't easy I was right in my -oof!" The young voice was cut off by what Aleksander could only guess was Hetal's fat elbow to his ribs.

Aleksander turned around and was caught off guard by the sight before him. A young boy, no more than nine stood before him in overalls. The boy's straw colored hair was messy from sleep, and around his waist hung an old worn tool belt that was about ten sizes too big for him.

"How old are you, boy?" Aleksander questioned; raising his eyebrow towards Hetal. She'd be lucky if she got a finders fee for this child.

"I'm older than I look." The boy replied smugly "Besides my age ain't got nothin' to do with what I can do with a ship."

"You look nine." Aleksander said to him.

"I'm eight." The boy said a little abashed.

"Caellach, I'm telling ya he's the best around. And he's honest too, Honest John is what they call 'em." Hetal defended her find.

"Honest John, eh?" Aleksander studied the young boy.

"Listen mister, I know more about today's ships than anyone alive. I learned all I know from my papa." Honest John said proudly.

"Okay then," Aleksander paused as if to think "Your Papa can work on my ship."

The young boy looked as if he had been punched in the gut. Hetal moved in to comfort him, and the boy shrugged her off. He looked up at Aleksander with eyes that were a steel blue, and steel with resolve.

"Papa died, but if he were alive there would be no one else I would recommend for your job mister. I am all that is left of the family mechanics business, and I do my Papa proud." Honest John said.

"All right then, Honest John, you have the job. Thank you Hetal I'll put your reward in your account as soon as I get to my room."

"I know your good for it Caellach. I know your good." Hetal replied while walking away.

"Follow me, Honest John." Aleksander said as he began moving towards the elevator that would take them down to the storage bay. "Let me introduce you to her."

They stood in awkward silence as the elevator descended into darkness. Aleksander, who was older than anyone alive had memory of, felt archaic next to this sprightly young boy. The young boy looked like he felt like he would rather plummet to his death down this dark shaft than be on the elevator with this strange man.

Aleksander's heart went out to him, he knew what it was like to be alone at a young age. At least this boy had Hetal looking out for him. She might be a scam artist, but she had a kind heart.

"Now, boy, I don't know if Hetal told you, but my ship is not like any ship you've ever seen." Aleksander said to the boy, mostly to break the awkward silence.

"Yeah I know… she said it was really old." Honest John chirped.

Aleksander chuckled. "Yeah it's a real piece of history, it existed before people lived on the planet."

Honest John looked up at Aleksander, his whole face was covered in doubt.

"You'll see" Aleksander said to him, "and when you see her, you'll know."

The elevator doors clanged open and Aleksander and Honest John walked out into the large room, their voices and footsteps resounding back to them off of the multitude of metal that was housed down here.

"She's in lot 175-2a" Aleksander mumbled to Honest John, he hated the way everything in here was so loud.

They walked to where his ship was parked and Honest John stopped in his tracks, staring at her.

"She is… she is… archaic!" He was really excited now.

Aleksander opened the hatch and beckoned to the young boy. "We will talk business in here"

Honest John walked into the ship behind Aleksander, and eagerly took in the entire wonder of the ship.

"So what do you need me to do? Hetal said you do all your own work." Honest John said to Aleksander, while exploring the control panel.

"There are somethings I cannot do to her, and that's where you come in. I need to have a top of the line weapons system installed." Aleksander said to the Young boy.

Honest John turned around obviously disappointed.
"It's a weapons specialist you need mister, not a mechanic. I am not allowed to install weapons, I don't have the licensing." He sighed and turned to leave.

Aleksander layed his hand on the boy's shoulder, stopping him.
"I made no mistake." He said. "This weapons system must be a secret and completely undetectable visually."

The boy opened his mouth to speak, but Aleksander interrupted him.

"Which is illegal, so if I got a weapons specialist, they wouldn't do it. You don't have to do it if you don't want to, but whatever you want, boy, I can give you. What is you wildest dream, child?"

"To get off this space stop and travel the galaxy." Honest John said with his eyes fixed firmly on the floor.

"You do this job precisely how I ask, and keep it a secret from everyone and I will give it to you, in addition to your pay."

Aleksander watched the boy shuffle his feet on the floor of his ship. He raised his eyes and looked around the ship, drinking it all in trying to decide what to do.

"I'll do it, but I don't have the clearance to order the parts." He looked at Aleksander, waiting for him to be stumped.

"Here take this," Aleksander said passing him a golden card. "The clearance and money you'll need is on that card, don't go flashing it around though, it could get you killed."

Aleksander walked past the boy and stopped outside in the storage bay. He turned around and called to the boy. He turned around and Aleksander tossed him the keys "Give her a coat of paint too, while your at it… I'm thinking something bluish."