Find out where you're heading and then a distraction

You enjoy a surprisingly restful nights sleep, as you find your dreams a pleasant set of old memories which you were sure had been forgotten, over the years you've spent running on your own, hopping from planet to planet to get by. You dream of your mother and the large forest grounds that were on the back of your families large home, you see all the old butlers and maids that you got on really well with, even reliving some nicer moments with the stuffier ones that tried to drill tedious history and other knowledge that was far beyond a typical education for someone your age. You are even startled to recall a memory of your mother and father on a trip to a local beach, and actually, see your father smile and laugh as he plays along with your and your mother, which had you not remembered it you'd of been sure were impossibilities from how you remembered him. It was a bittersweet series of memories as for a short time in your slumber you had a true family and group of friends which you had long since left behind, but sadly as you began to wake up you had to say your goodbyes and wake to the reality where your isolation hit home harder than you'd like, but overall despite the sadness of it, it truly was nice getting to relive it again, and you hope to hold onto these treasured memories better than before, as they remind you of what you were running for, not just to be free, but to be free to live your own life, and form new friendships, and your own family.

You blink a few times as your eyes begin to flutter as they adjusted to the harsh lights of your cell, the remnants of some tears are wiped away as your rub your eyes and slowly sit up. You take a deep breath and smile to yourself, as you take in your surroundings once more, a small cramped cell aboard a strange ship, with a dangerous psychic stranger as your only ally and your captor who is waiting to **** himself onto you. You smile grows wider as you look over and see John sitting on the floor with his legs crossed in a meditative pose you recognize from posters you've seen advertising some spiritual method on becoming one with yourself or the universe, most of them obvious scams to try and placate the feelings of guilt of those who made their money walking on the top of good people. Still, you imagine that even the stuff the cons base themselves on must stem from some truth, and it would explain how John was able to keep a zen-like calm about him.

"You seem to be in a good mood." John says without moving or opening his eyes, as you check the so called food that Garth had left for you, discovering some very basic high energy ration bars.

"Well, I got a good rest, and managed to find my focus." You reply with a smile as you tear open the ration bar and consume the unappealing thing with gusto, knowing that you'll need to keep your energy up. "I imagine I've got you to thank for that." You continue with a smile.

"Yes, one of the nicer things I'm able to do for people, although not all of them get inspired, some fall into a sense of acceptance for their situation." John replies as his eyes open, revealing his blue-gray shifting irises.

"Guess my minds stronger than I thought." You reply with a grin as you begin to do a series of stretches to help wake up your muscles, which between a combination of your long rest, and the artificial gravity, had a few aches and groans to be worked out.

"A strong a focused mind can be a much more dangerous weapon than any conventional one, for it is the one most overlooked." John says in a cryptic style tone like some old monk might use, which if you didn't know any better, was John having a bit of fun. Nice to know there was something reasonably human in that mind alongside whatever the hell let him do his thing.

"Well thanks for the help, can't remember the last time I slept so peacefully...... How long was I out for, anyhow?" You ask as you open a fresh bottle of water.

"Not sure, but my best estimate would be 12-14 hours." John says as he stretches his arms above his head, and slowly get to his feet.

"Damn that long?" You ask as you drain the full bottle of water in a short few seconds, as your thirst catches up with you.

"Had to be sure you'd be at your best, and given our current situation and that your arrival was likely more traumatic than mine, the best I could offer was natural rest, although when we get out of here I'd recommend a medi scan just to be on the safe side." John says as he walks over to a wall and leans against it.

"No arguments here, although don't hold it against me if I prioritize a hard drink and a hot bath." You reply as you finish off the ration bar, and head to the sink in the cupboard that you had to pass as a toilet and washroom. Thankfully not needing the toilet just yet, as you didn't fancy trying to go while John was only a few meters away and Garth was likely watching through the security system. You find a disposable washcloth, which was basically just a larger version of the ones given out at places that sold food eaten with your hands, it even still came with the same clinical fruit smell of them. You shake your head and quickly wipe down all of the areas you felt the least clean, and then disposed of the towel in a nearby waste bin which was welded to the floor.

"So now you're rested and as refreshed as can be in our limited situation, it's time to discuss our plan." John says calmly as you walk back from your wash cupboard and settle down on the bed nodding.

"You sure we should be discussing it openly?" You ask now that your mind was more alert to question it.

"Any security systems Garth might have to listen in to us, won't pick up us talking about anything than idle chit chat." John begins with a grin as he taps his head with two fingers. "More precisely he will hear pretty much what he'd expect us to be saying, which I'm afraid will be mostly me discussing your physical beauty and what I'd do to you were it not for these bars." John says with a shrug as you nod along. "In the simplest way I can without getting insulting, I managed to plant that much in Garth's head before surrendering to him. To him, he'd of felt me attempting to grasp at his mind, but assume that because I stopped that I failed." John says with a smile.

"Wow, a handy trick to have on in the event of a jailbreak." You reply with a smile.

"As is a fully functioning set of thieves tools, and a skilled operator of them." John says with a wry smile.

"Good point." You say with a small laugh. "So I've got the tools to get us in and out of most doors and locks, you've got you wide array of mental powers, should be a fairly easy time between us." You say aloud, before pausing a moment as you see John looking down at his feet.

"I have full and free use of them, but once we arrive in a new sector, I can't overuse them in our escape, otherwise the people who will come to investigate will figure out I was the prisoner, which means they'd soon be on my trail, or worse if the wrong person is in the system then anything too powerful will be like a giant beacon." John replies as he continues to stare down at this legs.

"So no asking you to melt down doors with your mind, what do you think you can get away with using?" You ask as you close your eyes and begin making a mental inventory of the tools and skills you have to hand.

"Well minor illusions and tricks of the mind, enough telekinesis to pick something up and knock someone out with it." John replies in a casual manner.

"Right so in effect anything that could realistically be done physically right?" You ask still keeping your eyes closed as you add Johns powers to the list you were preparing.

"Exactly, A very sharp deduction if I may say so." John says in a manner where you can almost hear the smile on his face, and you try and suppress the urge to smile in a smug fashion.

"So my reckoning is, we'll need to make it looks like a standard breakout, something that two skilled criminals could pull off." You begin as you begin to draw up plans and possible ideas to the ones you thought of while Garth was hunting John. "Firstly we need to work out where we're heading, as not point breaking out while the ships stuck in deep space with a few days before we arrive anywhere." You say aloud as you open your eyes and look over to John as he nods sagely.

"We'll then need a reliable means to find out when would be a good time to strike." John says as you begin to plan together, a new experience for you, and one you're happy to have, as it seems a mind as sharp as yours means you seem to be on the same wavelength, although that might have something to do with John reading yours earlier.

"Well we've got one source to get that information, it's just working out the how we go about getting it." You continue as you can't help but shake off the sensation you were in one of those elaborate heist Holovids you like to indulge in a guilty pleasure. "Once we have that, all we need to do is find a way to get out of the cells." You finish as this was the stage your plans mostly floundered as there were too many unknowns about the ship to properly plan.

"Then we have a few options, depending on what is nearbye. If we have an inhabited planet we can steal the shuttle and pilot it down there should be more than enough ship yards who'll buy it off us for scrap and spare parts, most of which won't question the origins. Alternatively we might need to fly this ship closer into the system to get nearer to some inhabited worlds, although hopefully not as that would likely mean having to keep Garth subdued in his own ship while we wait, and he'll know it better than we possibly could." John says folding his arms and staring up at the ceiling.

"Well if it comes to that we'll just have to adapt, not like any plan is foolproof anyway." You say with a smile as you confidence is unwatered as you now had a missing piece to your plans from earlier. "Once we make planetfall I should be able to make us disappear, and I assume once that's accomplished it's just finding one of your boltholes and making our way there." You finish as get to your feet feeling invigorated.

"Sounds like we have the makings of a plan then." John says wth a smile. "I had a good feeling about you when I first looked into your mind, and It seems I might have even underestimated you. I have the feeling this will be a very interesting partnership Val." John says with a smile as he looks at you.

"I think you might be right there John, but let's not get ahead of ourselves yet, we have a plan, but now we just need to put it together, and firsts things first is finding a way to loosen Garths lips about where we are heading." You say as settle back down lying on your comfy bed and began to think about what you knew about Garth and what options this gave you.