Kressa and Cassandra's story-Chapt. 2

Kressa watched over her young daughter as the child played at her feet.  The handheld teaching device quickly changed with the child's correct answers. 

"This is fun, Momma!"  Cassie exclaimed.  "I know I can beat the rest of the game."

Kressa smile and nodded.  She quickly looked around the small colony on this planet, IO.  The colony was still relatively new; only about 300 years old.  The planet had been passed up for so long because of its volcanic atmosphere and the thin crust had been to dangerous to terraform.  A private euntrepeneur  had surveyed the small planet and found a small patch that was stable; though it was only about a hundred miles in circumfrence. 

Now they used the volcanic energy to power the colony that had grown under the shielding that protected it.  The small group of trees survived because the shielding enhanced the suns rays to feed them. 

Kressa again watched her daughter play.  She had been inquiring about Jordan's brother, but had not recieved the answer she needed.  No one knew him.

"Why are you asking about Sterner?"  Came a harsh voice behind her. 

Kressa turned quickly to face the man.  She noticed the gray streaks within his dark hair.  He was taller than her by  at least by five inches.  She noticed that his blue-gray eyes flicked toward Cassie, then back at her.   

"Pardon me?" 

"Why are you asking about Sterner?"    He didn't move as he spoke harshly 

She suddenly became cautious.  "I need to speak to him."  Was all she replied.

The stranger watched her; examined her.  When he spoke again, it was a little softer.

"He's dead." 

Kressa closed her eyes and gripped the table for support.  Now what would she do? 
She opened them when Cassie touched her arm.

"Momma, what's wrong?"    Kressa saw her daughter face the stranger.  "What did you do to my Momma!" 

Kressa quickly grabbed her and set Cassie on her lap.  She looked up at the stranger and noticed the surpised look on his face. 

"Who are you and how did you know Sterner?"  The stranger's voice had softened and concern showed on his face.

Kressa decided that she now had nothing to lose. 

"He was my brother-in-law.  I needed to speak to him."

Disbelief set on the stranger's face.  "Who's wife are you?"

"Jordan De Luc was my husband."  Kressa answered. 

There was a long pause.  "What do you mean 'was'?"   

"Jordan was killed about two months ago. We haven't any place else to go.  No credits."  Kressa was suprised as the stranger reacted as if he had been hit.  The pain and bewillderment showed clearly on his face. 

He sat down in a chair nearby. 

Kressa swallowed hard.  She was slightly alarmed as Cassie left her arms and went up to the stranger. 

Cassy stared at his face intently.  "You have eyes like my Daddy."  She said matter-of-fact.

Eyes softening, the stranger looked at her.  Much to Kressa's suprise, he stood, picked up Cassie and motioned for her to follow.  "Come on. We need to talk."  Was all he said as he purposefully in one direction.

Kressa ran to keep up with his long stride.  "Wait...?"

The stranger raised his hand and continued walking until he reached an unassuming building.  He made sure Kressa was following as he entered, greeted the young man at the counter, and walked to a small room in the back.  He set Cassie down in a chair and pointed to another for Kressa. 

Kressa suddenly became suspicious.  "Maybe we better leave..."  She began as she reached for Cassie.

"Sit down, Kressa."  The stranger said.  "You and Cassie are safe here."

Kressa almost paniced.  "How...how did you know our names?" 

Sighing, the stranger sat down beside Cassie and said.  "I'm Gabriel Sterner." 

Disbelief on her face, Kressa stared at him. 

"But you said...?"   

Gabe shrugged.  "It's a long story.    What did you mean 'no credits'?"

Pent up emotions finally hit and Kressa began to cry.  "When I got word that Jordan had...died, there were a lot of officers looking through his files.  I didn't think anything of it, until I tried to get into our account.  It had been blocked."  She didn't resist as Gabe moved her to a chair.  "Someone, I don't know who, implied that Jordan had been..."  She hesitated.   

"Go on."  Gabe encouraged.

"That Jordan had been involved with...the wrong people."    Kressa couldn't hold back then.  She put her face in her hands and cried harder.

Cassie ran over and, as her mother put her arms around her, cried with her.

Gabe's face became hard for a moment.  Then telling Kressa to stay put, he got up and dissapeared through the doorway to the front of the store.

Kressa found paper and dried her and Cassie's eyes.  She was a little alarmed as Cassie began exploring the room. 

"Baby,  don't touch anything."  Kressa warned softly. 

"Momma, what do you think he does with all this stuff?"  Cassie reached for some of the parts that lay in disarray on tables and shelves.

"Cassie, don't touch anything."  Kressa said again.  She tensed as Sterner and the young man came into the room. 

"Kressa, I would like you to meet Kyle Talaro."  Gabe watched her face as he spoke.  "He's an officer here on IO.  Now don't worry!"  He said as he held up his hand when Kressa's eyes widened and she grabbed Cassie.  "He can be trusted.  Ever much so."  He waited as Kressa calmed down and released her daughter. 

Talaro sat down and softly asked.  "Can you tell me exactly what happened?"

Kressa hesitated for a bit before speaking.  She explained that it started with Jordan saying that he was investigating something important and he couldn't say too much.  She ended with a lot of hesitation, about the incident at the Moon Base. 

Both men became agitated with that. 

"If a Hunter was after her, he was onto something important or improper."  Talaro almost whispered.  "If they are after her, they don't have all the info they collected."  To Kressa.  "Did your husband give you anything before he left that day?"

Kressa shook her head.  "He once told me that the less I knew was better for me."

Talaro and Gabe looked at each other, before Talaro nodded.  "Okay, I can look into a few things, but you need to stay our of sight.  If what I think is happening, you could still be in danger."

Shocked, Kressa looked over at Cassie, who was trying to get some of the parts on the small table.  She saw as Gabe went over and started explaining what the parts were and where they went on what machines. 

"What about Cassie?" 

"I'll do my best to not let anything happen to her.  I owe Gabe."  Was all Talaro said as he got up and started to leave. 

"Where is he going?"  Kressa asked Gabe. 

"His shift will start soon."  Gabe put a piece of machinery on the table and took another to give to Cassie.  "Why don't you help me put this where it goes on the shelf, huh?"

Cassie brightened as she nodded.

Gabe faced Kressa.  "I'll show you a room in a bit.  After you rest, we'll see where we go from here."  With that, he and Cassie walked out the doorway to the front of the shop; explaining how people needed parts.