K-009: Independent Transporter Welcome Wagon, Cargo Hold (docked with Spanial near the Nonoop Nav Buoy)

Channing is interrupted by a voice in her helmet – Oliver can hear it faintly:

“Abbey, we’ve detected a new jump signature in system.  The Dominion freighter is keen to close up and move on.  Are we good to go?”

Channing responds, “Affirm Claudia, we have one new soul aboard and are just exiting the hold now.  Close it up.”

A few seconds later the external cargo doors begin to close, sealing Welcome Wagon off from Spanial. 

A female voice, possibly the same one Oliver heard from Channing’s helmet, comes over the ship’s public address system, “All hands, brace for undock.”

Channing seems to have forgotten about the content of Oliver’s pack.  She leads him through the internal door to a small room outside the hold.

The three other men who were there follow them out.  The first is a short young man – younger than Oliver – with dark skin, the one holding the rifle; the second, solid and swarthy – handsome – with a goatee; the third, tall and skinny, pale with dark shaggy hair starting to go salt-and-pepper grey.

An unfamiliar alarm rings through the ship, there is a clang and vibration Oliver can feel through his boots and a lurching sensation that would cause him to fall upwards to the ceiling were he not secured to the floor with his gecko overshoes.

The PA voice:  “Undock completed.”

Channing goes to a nearby workstation, fishes stationery out of drawers and with a stylus hand-writes him a paper receipt for his electrolaser, carefully copying out the serial number.  She hands it to him.   

“Questions, or shall we give you a tour of the ship?”