Free Spinward Fringe Broadcast 7: Framework by Randolph Lalonde Page A

face,
Captain.”
    “Frost…” Jake said, a warning in his
tone.
    “Hail, mighty Captain Valance,” Minh
announced over a private channel as his fighter was lifted into the
hangar by an elevation pad.
    “It’s more like knuckle-dragger number
twenty eight, right now,” Jake replied. “What brings you to
vulture-town?”
    “Ah, Ronin’s here,” Frost discerned from
Jake’s side of the conversation. He couldn’t hear Minh, thanks to
the private channel communication protocol instated by Jason. They
were only able to speak to one person at a time unless they were
using their disguiser. “He’s probably bearing another message from
your lady below. Ask him if he’s got anything from Steph.”
    “I will, but he won’t,” Jake replied. He
didn’t understand Frost and Stephanie Vega’s relationship, but he
didn’t think about it much. It was as if they were taking a
vacation from each other, especially over the last two weeks when
Frost and Jake were living aboard the Enforcer.
    “What’s that, Jake?” Minh asked, unable to
hear Frost’s side of the conversation.
    “Just Frost, asking if you’ve got something
for him from Steph,” Jake replied.
    “I do!” Minh declared. “She says; ‘hurry
up.’”
    “He’s got a message from her,” Jake told
Frost.
    “Oh-ho!” he replied.
    “She says, ‘hurry up.’” Jake relayed.
    “Ah, she misses me, just the right time to
wrap this up and head home,” Frost said.
    “You old softie,” Jake teased. “I’m going to
talk to Minh here, catch up with you later.”
    “Aye,” Frost said, closing his private
channel.
    “So, he’s happy,” Jake told Minh-Chu.
    “I bet,” Minh said with a chuckle. “As far
as I can tell, Steph’s itching to get social. She’s feeling a bit
isolated. So are Finn, Agameg, and probably everyone else, except
for Ashley.”
    “Really?” Jake said. It was strange; he’d
think that Ashley would be the most eager to stop hiding and start
socialising again.
    “Steph says she’s been really quiet,” Minh
said. He sounded worried. “Like, depressed quiet.”
    “Any idea what the problem is?”
    “Stephanie figures that between the
isolation and not being able to see Zoe, that orphan she rescued,
it’s getting to her.”
    “Another reason why Jason’s plan isn’t
working out,” Jake said. “I’m going a little crazy myself.”
    “Well, Ayan says ‘hi.’ She says she’s
cleared her schedule tonight,” Minh said. “And if that’s code, I
want details later.”
    “I think it is,” Jake said. “But I won’t be
over-sharing on the details.” He was eager to see Ayan again. They
had just started getting to know each other, and they were becoming
closer in all respects when Jason Everin came up with his plan for
the Samson crew to go into hiding.
    “But my vicarious life will be missing a
chapter,” Minh replied.
    “I thought I was living vicariously through you ,” Jake replied. “If you think what I’m doing right now
is more exciting, then you’re in real trouble. Besides, don’t you
have someone waiting on your every landing?”
    “Funny thing, I just broke it off with
Paula,” Minh said.
    “How did that go?” Jake asked. “God, I must
be bored, I’m becoming a gossip.”
    “Welcome to the human race,” Minh teased.
“We’re all gossips here, even if we deny it.”
    “So, what happened with Paula?” Jake asked
with a resigning sigh.
    “Oh, yeah. I told her we had to break things
off and she said; ‘I don’t believe you,’ gave me a kiss on the
cheek and walked away.”
    Jake laughed. “So you’re making a stop here
to avoid her. You could have bounced that off our receiver as you
did your usual flyby.”
    “I wish that were the only reason,” Minh-Chu
said. “The armour plate under my seat is cracked and I have to fix
so I can go atmospheric.”
    “I’ll give you a hand,” Jake said as he
started heading towards Minh’s fighter. “I’m surprised there’s no
backup