A Good Fugitive

"And you helped very well," said Captain Dharma.

After all, the captain had heard from Ryan and had even seen it himself through the camera, from the monitor in front of the captain at that time. About the action of Aldi helping Ryan and his friends bring down the humanoid robots of the fat ruler.

"Just a little help," said Aldi, who didn't want to be big-headed by what he had done.

"Thanks anyway."

"No problem, Cap," Aldi laughed softly. "You know, as tickets for both of us."

"You, smartass!" Captain Dharma snorted softly. He turned his gaze to Ellie. "He didn't treat you badly, did he, little girl?"

Ely shook her head, that was the truth. Aldi is not a typical man who likes children. Aldi is not a man with sexual deviance. In fact, Ely is grateful to meet Aldi, she feels comfortable and safe with this man.

"I'm not a crazy pedophilia, Cap," said Aldi, he knew exactly where the captain's words were going.

"Thank God," Captain Dharma smiled as he stood up and rubbed Ely's head. "Otherwise," the captain smirked at Aldi. "I'm sure your head will explode right now."

"Good grief!" Aldi raised his hands as a sign that he would not cause trouble with the captain. "I will remember this well."

"Good!" replied the captain then looked back at Ely. "How old are you?"

"Fourteen," answered Ely.

The captain's stroke on her head felt so comfortable for Ely. The comfort she had longed for and had almost forgotten. Well, Ely felt the touch on her head was the same as the caress of her long-dead biological father. Died at the hands of cannibals, without a body, without a grave.

Slowly, tears welled up in the eyes of the little girl. Ely was suddenly hit by a stifling longing for her father's figure, for her mother's figure. Then a pool of tears rolled slowly down her cheeks.

"Hey," Captain Dharma said softly, then brought his face closer to Ely's. He wiped the tears from Eli's cheeks. "I don't know what kind of life you've been through," he said. "But believe me, we are all good people here who won't hurt anyone. Can you understand?"

Ely nodded, forcing herself to smile.

"Good girl," said Captain Dharma while stroking Ely's head, stroking her cheek. "From now on, we are your family. OK?"

Ely nodded again and smiled. "OK."

Captain Dharma stood up and looked again at Aldi. "I thought goodness had disappeared from this world," he laughed, slightly sarcastically at Aldi. "It's still there."

Aldi could only laugh at the captain's sarcasm. Everyone in the main cabin was the same, they nodded their heads. At least, they agreed with the captain that Aldi—even though he looked a little sloppy—was a good man.

"How much is your bounty?" asked Captain Dharma as he stepped closer to his daughter and wife.

"Three hundred and fifty–"

"What a low price?!" said the captain cutting Aldi's words. Once again, the captain's eyebrow was raised high, and this provoked laughter from some of the people there.

"—Thousand foros," Aldi laughed softly while shaking his head. "You shouldn't cut me off, Cap."

"Wow, that's the price it should be!" Captain Dharma smirks and marvels at Aldi's bounty, two hands on the sides of his waist. "Turns out we've brought a dangerous fugitive, guys!" he said as he looked at everyone.

Instead of being afraid, the people there laughed even wider at the joke from the captain's mouth. The same for Ryan and his friends. More or less, now they knew what kind of person the foreign man who had now become their traveling companion was.

"I take that as a compliment," said Aldi. He glanced at Ely, the little girl smiled as she hugged his hand.

And at least, the excitement created in the main cabin at this moment was, in a way, able to make everyone forget the terrible thing that had just happened to Mother Earth.

Captain Dharma knows this for sure. And that is very good, the captain thought. Let it be like this for a while, to change the mood and feelings of everyone in this spaceship. At the very least, he hopes this can give a positive aura. A positive aura that will bring other luck. Finding a new planet that is capable of supporting life, for example.

"Oi…!"

Aldi turned to the sound of the reprimand. Fraya moved one hand with her index and middle fingers towards her eyes and then pointed those fingers at Aldi.

Of course, Aldi laughed at that. Wasn't that a sign that they would all be watching Aldi's movements? At least, the woman, as well as the captain himself, perhaps. Although Aldi wasn't sure if these people were really afraid of him who was a fugitive from the Andalas Government and the Federation before.

Again, loud laughter was heard filling the main cabin. Captain Dharma snorted softly, more to suppress his laughter. The captain stepped toward his daughter and wife.

"Dad," Xian said, she hurriedly unbuckled her seat belt, then rushed into her father's arms.

"Hey, sweetheart," Captain Dharma smiled broadly as he carried his daughter. Meanwhile, the captain's hand caressed his wife's face. "You okay?" Captain Dharma asked Yuan Xi in a half-whispered voice.

Yuan Xi cupped her husband's hand that was caressing her cheek. Smile, and nod.

"I am scared," whined the little twelve-year-old girl in the captain's arms. "Dad... I'm scared."

"It's okay, sweetheart," said Captain Dharma while stroking his daughter's back. "It's okay."

"Where else are we going to live?" Xian asked in a low, trembling voice, clearly a great fear in her voice.

"It's okay, Daddy is here," said Captain Dharma again, trying to calm his little daughter. "Come on, Honey," said Captain Dharma to his wife.

"Wait," said Yuan Xi, who unhook her seat belt, then stood up, side by side with her husband.

"Doc," said the captain to Doctor Kamal.

Meanwhile, Yuan Xi was trying to comfort Xian who was resting her head on her father's shoulder. The little girl looked very tired and sleepy.

"Take your children and your wife to your private room," said the captain. And switch to everyone. "You guys too. The aircraft's gravity system has been stabilized for each room. So, please go to your respective rooms."

Those who were the crew members of Captain Dharma immediately stood up. Indra, Jennie, and five other female colleagues moved from the main cabin to the storage room. That's where their room was. Logistics storage room and others, that is the task of the seven of them.

As for the other members, they invited Ryan, Cinnong, Boris, Naomi, Yuma, Aldi, and Ely to follow in their footsteps. The crew intended to take them to the bedroom.

TO BE CONTINUED ...