Acme Time Travel Incorporated - Volume 2

SEG002

Ginny had got Vicky to get her some make-up. She didn’t normally bother. Maybe a bit of lippy now and again, but she usually felt that she looked fine without. But she wanted something to cover up the bruising from when Steve had hit her in the face.

She didn’t want anything to remind Gabriel of what had happened.

“Is the kit ok?” Vicky asked.

“Yeah, it’s fine,” Ginny said. She imagined that if she had had to buy a make-up kit like this at home, it would have cost a small fortune. She had no idea who had made it, but everything about it shouted money and style.

“Is everything ok?” Gabriel shouted through.

He had suddenly got up. Got out of the MED unit. She had been watching him for two days, and he didn’t look like he was going to be going anywhere soon, and then suddenly he had got up. He had walked through into the cockpit, and as soon as she had seen him, she had made her way straight into their bedroom. She had shouted “back in a tick”. No explanation.

So here she was, quickly trying to work out what colour pot to apply to her bruised cheek.

“Are you really ok?” he said.

She could hear him walking down the short corridor into their bedroom. She could tell that he was worried, and she was feeling flustered. She turned around and he was there. She turned her face away from him, and she could feel him walking towards her.

He stopped and looked down at the make-up kit. It was lying open on her cot. He pulled a small pot from its pouch. It made a small noise as he pulled it free.

“I didn’t think you used this ...,” he started, then stopped suddenly. He gently took hold of her shoulders and turned her towards him.

He was looking at the bruising on her face.

“The bastards,” he said, but then he saw the look on Ginny’s face. “Christ ... what happened?” he snarled.

Ginny leaned forward and dug her face into his shoulder, into the nape of his neck. She started to sob. She didn’t think she would be able to stop. He wrapped his arms around her. He started rocking her gently. Maybe as much for himself as for her.

. . . . . . . .

“They teleported out,” Ginny said. “Maybe they thought that ...”

“So, they beat me up, beat you up and then fucked off?” said Gabriel. “Seems sort of hard to believe. Why not get their ship and fly out?”

“I don’t know ... maybe ’cos Patty wasn’t with them.”

“Oh, yeah. Patty. So, where’s he, then?”

“He’s been working on our broken Ramstat motor. He thinks he can maybe fix it.”

“Why don’t we find out how he’s getting on. You know, give him a call. Ask him in for a drink or something.”

“I’d ... I’d rather ...”

“What’s up, Ginny? It’s not like he was one of the guys who beat us up, is it?”

“I don’t ... I’d just rather not, Gabriel.”

“Ok, Ginny. If you’d rather not, then that’s fine.”

Ginny gave Gabriel a weak smile.

“But we should at least find out how he’s getting on; if he’s had any luck trying to fix the motor. I wouldn’t imagine a Ramstat motor is a simple thing to fix.”

“Ok,” Ginny said, and then, as if to forestall Gabriel from rushing outside to speak to Patty directly, she said “Hello Ship, can you patch us through to Patty, please?”

“Right away,” Ship replied.

On a screen on the bedroom wall, a view of the ship’s hull could be seen. Patty was sitting on top of the hull, his head in an access cover on the Ramstat motor.

“Hey Patty”, Ginny said. “Any luck with our motor?”

“Just finishing it off. Had a bit of luck. We had stuff about. Should work fine.”

“That’s great, Patty,” said Ginny.

“Should be done in about an hour. How are you feeling after ...?”

“Great, Patty,” Ginny said, cutting him off. “Catch you later.”

She turned to Gabriel, then said “Thanks Ship ... close the comms-link now, thank-you.”

“It’s done,” the Ship replied.

Gabriel was looking at Ginny. There was something she wasn’t telling him, but he thought that if she wanted to, then she would tell him in her own time. He trusted her and respected her. He didn’t want to cross a line she didn’t want him to cross.

“That’s good news, then,” he said.

“It is if he’s really fixed it,” she said.

“Why would he lie?”

“You know mechanics,” she said, with a half-smile. “They tell you it’s fixed, they take your money, then it breaks down half a mile away.”

Gabriel looked at Ginny. She seemed to have changed since Steve and Roy had beaten them up. He could see why that could be the case, but it was like there was something else. Like she had lost a bit of her old sparkle.

“You don’t think we should trust Patty’s work, then?” he asked.

“Maybe we should try the teleport, first.”

“That’s if Patty can pause the processing.”

“I think I’d rather try that than risk a long journey on a Ramstat motor fixed with ‘bits of stuff they had lying around’.”

“Ok, Ginny,” he said. “I agree. If he can pause the processing, then it’s a straight-forward trip, and it takes no time. Let’s give it a go, then.”

. . . . . . . .

“Ginny?” Ship said. “Patty wants to talk to you. He is standing outside the air-lock”

“Ok, Ship. Please put him through on comms,” Ginny said.

Ginny thought that Gabriel looked like he was about to say something, but then thought better of it.

A monitor showed Patty standing just outside the air-lock. He looked like he had expected them to open it up.

“Hi, Patty,” Ginny said. “How goes it?”

Patty stood back a little. He probably guessed from her voice that she wasn’t going to let him in.

“Work’s all done, and the covers are closed. Give it a try.”

“Shall I bring the engine online?” Ship asked.

“Yes, please, Ship,” Ginny said.

They heard the familiar low rumble as the engine came online.

“How’s it look?” Ginny said.

“I can’t really tell until we put it under load,” Ship replied.

“Ok, Ship. Please shut it down,” Ginny said, then “Hey Patty, thanks for that. Great job. I think we’re gonna get some sleep now. Big day tomorrow, eh?”

“Hey,” Patty said. “How’s about ...?”

“Catch you in the morning then,” Ginny said, cutting Patty short, then “Ship, please close the comms-link now.”

“It’s closed, Ginny.”

Gabriel was staring at her.

“I’m going to get some sleep,” Ginny said.

“Ok ... I’ll come and give you a cuddle, then,” Gabriel said.

“No, it’s ok, thanks,” she said, turning towards their bedroom.

He gave her a few minutes to get herself ready. She usually took a little while to brush her teeth, comb through her hair and then get out of her spacesuit. He never liked to interrupt her whilst she did these things, but when he finally walked through, she had gotten onto her couchette and had pulled a downy duvet around herself.

She was facing away from him. Facing towards the cabin wall. She had drawn herself up into an almost foetal position. He got himself ready and then climbed in alongside her. He sensed her almost imperceptibly moving away from him, as if she didn’t want him to touch her, to be near him at all.

“Are you ok, Ginny?” he whispered.

She didn’t say anything. He couldn’t tell if she was asleep or not.

He felt very lonely. Lonely, and very afraid. Afraid that something had happened to Ginny, and he didn’t know what it was. And he didn’t know how to help her.