A Week Really Is A Long Time

As it turned out, a week really was a long time to be stuck on a small boat with someone you weren’t speaking to. In order to avoid Franklin, Portia spent more time in her cabin with Bea than she really needed to.
That morning, Bea had somehow acquired a cane with a hidden sword inside the shaft. She proudly displayed her new toy to Portia.
“What is that thing?” Portia asked. “You don’t need a cane.”
“But I need a sword cane,” Bea said with a triumphant flourish of the cane. She was practicing lunging, left arm raised at a ninety degree angle, cane pointed menacingly forward.
“You’ll really hurt someone with that thing if you’re not careful.”
“That’s the point. Hurt them before they hurt you.” Bea demonstrated by unsheathing the sword and lunging forward, penetrating a pillow on the bed.
Portia left the cabin before Bea could hurt her.
Franklin was always in the mess hall at the table, reviewing the plans. Sneaking in quietly for a drink or a quick bit to eat was infinitely more difficult, but Portia discovered that if she made no eye contract, he was not likely to speak to her.
“Can I ask you a question?”
So much for the eye contact. “Hell, I’m feeling generous, make it two.”
“Will your Corporate Identity Signature work?”
Portia thought back to the ceasing of forwarded transmissions from the Crosby. “I guess. It’s not really so important as my ability to by-pass codes, isn’t it?”
Franklin made no reply.
“Good talking to you, then,” she said, leaving the room.
“We need schematics of the Chairman,” Franklin said.
“What do you mean we need them? We don’t have them already?”
“No,” Franklin said, “That’s why we need to get them as soon as we arrive, so I have time to make a decent plan.”
“Turkish really wants us to fail, doesn’t he?”
Franklin did not look up at her but continue to study the holo projection. “I think he has the same amount of attachment to this as a high risk, low probability investment. The payoff will be great but he won’t be too put out if we fail.”
“I’m not planning on failing,” Portia said.
“Can’t say I’m looking forward to the idea myself.”
Portia wanted to ask Franklin what was it he owed Turkish. She knew why she was in his debt. She understood without asking that Big Julie owed a substantial gambling debt to Turkish, Brick owed his freedom, and Twelve was lucky anyone would hire in, but what did Turkish have over Franklin?
“Is there anything else you wish to contribute?” he asked.
“No.” Portia took her bowl of instant pot noodles and drifted to the cargo hold where she found Brick.
“Hey there, kid,” he said. He was polishing his gun.
“I’m not a kid,” Portia said. “I’m twenty eight.”
“Don’t look it.”
“Yeah, well, looks can be deceptive. What’s in all these crates?”
“Ammo.”
“Really, cause there’s like twenty crates.”
Brick said nothing.
“All that ammo? We’re steal a ship, not invading a city.”
“You never know what could happen. I like to be prepared.”
“I brought chewing gum.”
“Handy stuff.” Brick then reached behind him and produced a heavy looking wooden baton. He handed it to Portia.
“What’s this?”
“It’s for you.”
“For what?” Portia was mystified.
“For emergencies.”
“I don’t understand.”
“Like chewing gum emergencies.”
“Oh,” she said slowly. “No, I don’t get it.”
“For knocking heads.”
“Is it a baseball bat?”
“Does it look like a baseball bat to you?”
Portia studied the wooden baton, cudgel shaped object. It had a handle, it was made of wood…”Yes,” she concluded, “it does look like a baseball bat.”
“You’ve never actually played any sports, have you?”
“It’s not a baseball bat? I don’t think I’m comfortable possessing a weapon. Someone could get hurt.”
“That’s the point.”
“I don’t want to hurt anyone!”
“Trust me, Gizmo, they’ll want to hurt you.”
“Don’t call me Gizmo.”
“But that’s you code name, right? Call me the Annihilator.”
“You’re not the one who gave Bea that sword cane, are you? Because she’s really going to hurt someone with that thing.”
“Beatrice Clovelly strikes me as the kind of woman who can take care of herself, Gizmo.”
Portia sighed and left with the cudgel shaped baseball bat.