Ryen looked around the small room she had rented for the remaining nights she had left on the Federation Stronghold. Like the drink shop she had visited earlier in the day, the hotel was located in the upper floors of the base. The air around her was heavy with the smell of crushed hybercus, this season’s popular fragrance. Admittedly, she’d gone a little overboard and spent well over half of the credits Lazlo had added to her card. Despite wanting to save what money she had left, Ryen hadn’t felt brave enough to venture back down into the bowels to find cheaper lodging. 

Looking back, she’d been a bit silly after she’d discovered that the authorities on Syrae were looking for her in association with her father’s murder. After seeing the news Ryen had been paranoid. There she was, sitting in a Federation Stronghold, with a huge target on her back. It was only through concentrated effort that she was able to stop her panicking mind from going into overdrive and focus her thoughts into a more reasonable direction. First, Syrae was not part of the Federation and so, hopefully, their news was considered to be of little importance. Second, her identity had already, most likely, been noted and recorded in the base’s log books. If Lazlo hadn’t given her name when they’d first dock, surely something would have come up when he ran her card or when she logged into the computer at the café. She’d been sitting at that same computer for over two hours. If they had wanted to find her, they surely could have. No, for whatever reason, none of the authorities had been alerted to her location… as of yet.

Ryen had figured that since she had already ran her card, she might as well start gathering up what supplies she could, just in case. In for a penny, in for a pound, as the saying went. That’s when she had gone a little overboard, focusing her time and attention to rebuilding her wardrobe and, in a small way, her life.

[hider= Shopping trip!]Ryen made a mental check list of her acquired items. She’d purchased six pairs of shoes. One pair of nice, black heals. A pair of all terrain running shoes. A pair of casual, hanging out around the ship shoes. A pair of sandals to wear in warmer climates. A pair of casual flats. Then two pairs of working boots with polyvinyl coatings that resisted heat, metal, oil, electricity, and other less common hazards she’d be likely to come across while working on the ship. She’s also purchased seventeen new shirts ranging in color, texture, and warmth. Eight pairs of pants including three pairs of coveralls made from the same material as her impervious boots, ideal for some of the more dirty mechanical work. Three scarves, two jackets, one coat, socks, under garments, various accessories and jewelry, a fashionable cap, and a pair of old world styled overalls. The shopping wasn’t just purely recreational however, she also stopped by a hardware store to pick up some tools of her trade including a brand new electronic, ultrasonic screwdriver and a tool belt crafted of maroon plaid. [/hider]
 
Her favorite item, and by far most expensive, was not on its way to the ship’s cargo hold like the rest but was instead already strapped to her wrist. The device was no wider than a fingertip and radiated with a warm copperish glow. Rotating her left arm, Ryen used her thumb to run over the small engraving by the underside of her wrist. It was made of three circles. One large one with a capitol, stylized “A” in the center and two smaller circles on the outside of the larger one. It was her father’s manufacturer seal. The “A” of course standing for Arleth, the circles of course, representing the planet Syrae and her two moons Phyion and Erthennia. It made her feel like she was still connected to her father. The device wasn’t just for athletics however, it had practical uses as well. In truth, such an item shouldn’t have gotten out of the lab, let alone off the planet. It was a high end prototype, at best, and was designed to connect and interface seamlessly with most AIs from war battalion ship to a simple coffee makers. This could be done if the user either received permission from the AIs operator or knew the AIs command override codes. Most often, however, it was used as a form of easy communication to the AI. It meant that, if Ryen was given permission, she’d be able to contact the ship’s AI directly while planet side and use it as a sort of satellite to communicate with her crewmates assuming they had some kind of receiver on their end. Yes, the device had cost her a pretty penny but it would hopefully be worth the exorbitant price.

Ryen sighed. The room, while richly decorated still felt cold and empty. Fleetingly she thought of Quincy and the others and wondered how they were getting along. Would Ellie be okay by herself? She seemed the type of person who often fell into trouble accidentally. Gunther and Lazlo would be fine of course assuming the latter didn’t attract any unnecessary attention like he had when they’d left Syrae. 

Reaching out, Ryen turned off the bedside light and snuggled down under the plush warm covers. Outside the market place still hummed with life, but here the air was still and silent. Ryen turned over in her bed restlessly. Despite having the door locked tight, despite having the window coverings shut so tight that no light edged its way through, despite checking under the bed and in the closet and behind the shower stall’s door, she couldn’t quite shake the feeling of unease.

[i]”It’s nothing,”[/i] Ryen whispered to herself.