“Hold it together Geek! We’ve got this and you’ll hold,” Doug ordered.
“Boosters engaging in three,” Rachel shouted over the noise.
“What boosters,” Wes worriedly said.
“Two.”
“Whip them into flux, Cheezy!” Doug ordered.
“One.” Rachel reached beneath the helm console, pulled a yellow and black striped handle, turned it ninety degrees then shoved it back into the console. The ship lurched forward again. “Alien ship is on target,” Wes reported.
“Shut down the flux drive,” Doug ordered.
Cheezy flipped open another side panel and slammed her fist down on a big, red button. “Flux drive disengaged!”
A sudden shudder ran through the length of the ship and the Veronica eerily floated free.
“Give me a visual,” Doug ordered.
The viewscreen shifted to a rear-facing perspective. The alien ships umbilical grapplers floated listlessly about the bisected shell of the ship’s hull. A third of the ships aft section had been severed away at an odd angle only a few hundred meters away from the Veronica.
“We're gonna die,” Wes gasped and slumped over in his seat.
“Rachel, bring us to a full stop. Re-engage all of the safeties,” Doug ordered as he unstrapped and leapt forward to check on Wes. He gasped for breath and collapsed to the deck. Pain radiated throughout his torso. He tucked his left elbow close to his side and stood.
“Aye Cap,” Rachel replied. “Are you alright?”
“I’ll be fine,” he replied. “Just a few broken ribs most likely.” He fought through the pain and approached Wes’s station. “We’ll get you back to base as quickly as we can, buddy.” Doug looked Wes over, but couldn’t find any obvious wounds. He keyed the comms from Wes's station. “Rackham to any ship. Mayday, mayday, mayday, Dragons Lair, do you copy?”
“Cap,” Rachel slurred as she slumped over her controls. The ship slipped sideways with an odd roll.
Doug rushed around the console to the pilot’s position. He pushed Rachel back into her seat and let the controls return to neutral. Dark blood soaked through the leg of her flight suit. Blood splattered all over the seat and control console. Without hesitation, he whipped his belt through the loops of his pants in one yank and strapped it around her leg, above the exposed bone fragment.
“Does anyone copy? Mayday, we are in need of immediate assistance! Goddammit!
Someone fucking answer! Geek and Cheezy are seriously injured.”
“Cap,” Wes wheezed. “Did you turn out the lights?”
Doug looked up at Wes in somber silence, his face washed blank of emotion. He swallowed hard. “Anyone. Please hurry,” his voice silently cracked.
cHAPTER 45
Gamma Draconis / Asteroid field
Mobil Foundry ship, The Ethel
September 3rd, 2176 / Early Morning (Betty Time)
P iping hissed and rattled throughout the Ethel's main docking bay as stale, sterile air equalized within the airlock.
“Goddammit Doug, can this thing go any slower?” Krista complained over the airlock comm systems.
“It's going as fast as it can,” Doug said. “You have to be patient and wait.”
“Well it ain't fast enough,” she complained. “Wes and Rachel could both be dying while I’m trapped in this damned transport.”
“Calm down. They’re not dying,” Doug said, reassuring her. “Our new doctor has them both stabilized and doing well. She’s watching over them right now.”
“What sort of unspeakably arcane methods are they being subjected to? Those are our people, Doug,” Krista said. “You really went and let some...doctor, do whatever he wanted to do to them? How could you, Doug? Maybe he was even nice enough to go ahead and install trackers for the man while he was at it?”
“No Krista. She,” Doug emphasized, “managed to get both of them stabilized so that they didn't die. Her name is Doctor Janey Fillmore and she came highly recommended by more than a few people for her work in the Middle East and Africa. She's worked most of her career in third world underdeveloped countries and has successfully saved lives.”
The docking bay's airlock clanked and groaned as the locking mechanism released its grip and allowed the door to swing freely open.
“She?” Krista shouted as she exploded from the airlock into the corridor that led to the docking bay control room. Maggie and Amanda stoically followed close behind as the witches three entered the docking bay control room. Krista stood toe to toe with Doug and glared upward at him. The fire of a hateful spell burned behind her eyes. “So what, you're replacing me now? Is that it? You went out and got you some hot young thang to play doctor with? Is that it? Am I so old and worn out that you traded me in for a younger model?”
“Krista, we need people from all walks of life to give this hodgepodge colony of ours the best chance of success,” Lizz said.
Krista pointed a sharp finger and hissed in Lizz’s direction. “I don’t want to hear one word out of you.” She glared at Lizz. “This is between me and him, you got that?”
“What? No, I didn't trade you in on a younger model,” Doug said defensively.
Krista hissed a laugh. “And you expect me to just believe that? Is she a blond or a redhead, Doug?”
“Yes, I do,” Doug said, “and she is a strawberry blond if you must know.”
“Ha!” Krista slapped her knee with victorious satisfaction. “I knew it! And not just blond or red, she’s a strawberry blond. You had to go exotic with this one, didn’t you?
“With the number of people that we have been bringing in, it only makes sense to have medical personnel on staff.” Doug ran a frustrated hand through his hair. “It not only makes sense, but it’s just a smart idea all around. And why are you complaining? We aren't even paying her salary.”
Krista crossed her arms and pushed out her naturally swollen chest. “Oh, well now that's just lovely, now isn’t it? So exactly how good is she if she was free. Did you pick her up at the Nunnery while you were in town? Are there any other strays on board that we should know about?” Krista sidestepped Doug and hurriedly continued out into the main corridor. Maggie and Amanda silently trailing behind her.
“I managed to get a university to fund her cost and a stipend for the trip,” Doug shouted in Krista’s direction.
“Don't care,” Krista replied with a wave of the hand and a highly raised middle finger as the witches three exited the control room.
“She's overly stressed, Doug,” Lizz said.
Doug looked up at the ceiling with a sideways glance as he patiently listened. He held up an index finger in Lizz’s direction.
“Doug, which way do we go,” Krista shouted from down the hallway.
“Keep going the way that you are, the third passageway on the right, up one deck and you'll be at the medical bay.” Doug turned back to Lizz. “You were saying?”
“I said that she's overly stressed, between the fight up here and the attack back at the Lair.”
“Whoa, attack?” Doug snapped concerned look toward Lizz. “Did the Reds attack the base?”
“No Doug, it wasn't the Reds,” Lizz reluctantly sighed. “A few of the miners decided they wanted a little more of Tiff than she was willing to share.”
“Wait? What? Is she okay?” Anger flushed up Doug’s neck as his jaw reflexively contracted.
“She's okay. A little shaken, a few bruises, but otherwise, she's fine. Someone was watching out for her that day. She described him as young looking, but his hair and beard were a mass of tangled white dreadlocks. I don't remember them coming back on the previous Earth run, but in my defense, I did meet a lot of new people that week.”
“He doesn't sound familiar to me either. He had to be from one of the smaller vessels that we brought through.” Doug nodded toward the door. “We might want to get to the medical bay before Krista has time to string up the doc.”
“You might be right,” Lizz said with a laugh.
“So, what happened?” Doug asked as he led the way out of the door.
“You know how Tiff can be. She was bored and dying to get a gym set up. We'd agreed on a space near to where the new witches lair will be. She was down there getting measurements and trying to figure out the best layout for the space when three men entered. She initially thought that I'd sent them to help her, but according to her, that changed pretty quick. They overpowered her and managed to get her partially undressed before her white-haired angel stepped in and changed their minds.”
Doug stopped in mid-stride as his entire body went rigid. “Do we know who these men are? Has she identified them?”
“The ghost tied up two of the assailants after he called me on the comms. Tiff crushed in the leader's skull pretty good with a pipe. He's alive and conscious, but not by much.”
“Alright,” he said, nervously rubbing his face. “One more thing to take care of. Not a problem. It's probably time to establish a few written rules anyways. We have a lot of new names on the roster.”
“Unfortunately, you're probably right,” Lizz agreed. She continued down the corridor. “How's everyone from the ships?”
“Everyone that was aboard the Betty was fine. No real injuries other than a few bumps and scrapes. The ship took a beating, but otherwise, they were good. I managed to walk away with four broken ribs and a dislocated collar bone. Wes has a number of pinched nerves along his spine, some fractured vertebra, and a few ruptured disks. Rachel managed to break one leg so badly that the bone shot through the skin and her flight suit, plus fractured her other leg in three places. The smaller transports that came through with us didn't see any action except for the Glorious Mouse.”
“Glorious Mouse,” Lizz said with a questioning shake of her head.
“Max's ship. She had an unceremonious meeting with the underbelly of one of the Red's as we passed through the flux. None of her crew made it.”
“That'll need to be dealt with as soon as possible,” Lizz reminded.
“I know, but it'll wait,” Doug said. “That's the least of our worries right now. Once I show Max the telemetry, it'll be fine. It wasn't anything to do with us. Shit just happened. My main concern at the moment is these alien ships. We haven't had a chance to explore the wreckage yet. I put the Days of Ore, Aurora Tetra, and Pollux to work policing the wreckage and towing the Ethel into position near the old mining station in the asteroid field. They’ll bring it all to one location and established parking orbits so we can go through the wrecks when we have the opportunity.”
“I have this feeling that the cat cruiser was the last of its kind,” Lizz said. “But the Red's will most likely continue to return.”
“This system is rich in minerals and the design of the Red vessels screams mining vessel,” Doug said. “I have to agree, they’ll continue to return.”
“Maybe the cruiser was trying to defend the system from invaders?” Lizz pondered.
“Possibly,” Doug said. “I just don't like the idea of waiting around for another Red to pop in before we can find out if they are friendly or not.”
Lizz gasped. “You can't possibly be thinking of chasing them down.”
“That's exactly what I'm thinking. We may not be able to read or understand anything from their computer cores, but star charts are star charts. Once Rachel is up to it, I planned to put her on the task of updating our charts. Then we send a team of volunteers out in the Veronica to start mapping out other flux points. Not only will we be able to establish trade routes, but we may get lucky and find a Red out there.”
“I can't say that I like the idea a whole hell of a lot, but you’re probably right,” Lizz admitted. “We'll need to eventually establish trade routes to other places besides Earth if we’re going to make this work. And I don't see that we have many other choices to find a Red, other than to wait.”
“Are you people insane? Get out of my medical bay right now!”
Metal trays clattered against deck plating and echoed down the corridor. Doug and Lizz glanced to one another with a look of surprised terror. “Krista,” both murmured under their breath, then quickly sprinted up the stairs to the next deck.
“Who in the hell are you people? Get away from my patients!”
Doug slid to a stop in the doorway to the medical bay as Doctor Fillmore swatted a surgical tray in the direction of the witches three.
“Y’all keep that pill pusher over there while I get our people saged off,” Krista said as she fanned at a bundle of dried herbs. “There's no telling what kind of evil juju she's brought along with her. Amanda, yank that damned line out of Rachel's arm,” Krista ordered. “There’s no telling what kind of poisons or mind control kool-aid that this witch is pumping into Rachel.
“It's best for everyone if you just listen and do as the Goddess requests of you,” Maggie said to the confused doctor. She stood stoically, arms crossed and unmoving between her and the patients.
“Don't you dare take that I.V. out,” Doctor Filmore shouted. “She needs to finish that bag to help fight off the infection that is sure to come without it. Do you even know how bad her injuries were?”
“It doesn't matter,” Amanda added. The monitors buzzed with warnings as she pulled the leads free from Rachel's skin. “Krista will do what Krista wants to do when Krista wants to do it, and nothing is going to stop her.”
“You can just go on back to where you come from. We don't need your kind around here,” Krista said with a snarl, then hissed at the woman in the white lab coat.
“Krista,” Doug shouted as he stepped into the medical bay.
“Doug, will you please tell this person that we will not be in need of her or her services and that she can go on back to wherever she came from,” Krista growled. She finished fanning the smoldering sage and stood protectively at the foot of the beds. “Did you see what she'd done them? What she did to our people,” she said with a pained pleading to her voice. “Needles and hoses unnaturally penetrating their bodies. Did she even ask them first if they wanted to be poked and prodded by her medical malpractice?”
“Medical malpractice?” Janey gasped, taken aback. “How can you even say that? You're the one acting like a damned witch doctor from the bush.”
Doug bravely stepped between the two practitioners, holding up an open palm toward each. “Doctor Fillmore, you'll have to excuse Krista. She is our resident healer and practitioner of alternative medicine.” He turned his gaze and glared at Krista. “Krista, you need to back down. We are bringing in all of these new people and not everyone will be willing to come to see the resident…,” he giggled under his breath, “witch doctor.” He smiled wide. “Ya know, I like the sound of that. I might just have to start calling you the witch doctor or shaman woman, maybe? No, I like witch doctor better.”
“That's Goddess to you, mister,” she waggled a pointed finger in his direction. “Now what are we going to do about all of this? We can't have this happening all the time.”
“Good point, no we can't have this happening all the time,” Doug replied. “Which means you need to mind your own business and tend to your own patients. Folks will be able to see who they want to see. And I do have plans to put a regular doc down at the Lair. So, you'll just have to get over yourself. We are getting entirely too many people for you to handle alone.”
“Who the hell says? Hu?” Krista crossed her arms defensively. “How do you know that I can't handle more than a few at the same time?” She cocked a challenging eyebrow at Doug.
“Oh. Well now,” Lizz gasped with a sidelong smile.
Doug awkwardly cleared his throat. “Sure, you go for it then. In the meantime, you'll tend to any medical issues that crop up planetside. Janey will handle things up here. For now, this is her medical bay, which means her word is law.”
“Bullshit,” Krista coughed.
“You expect me to work with her? I don't think that even a jackal could work with her,” Janey said.
“You ma
y be the earthbound Goddess, but she's now the sky Goddess,” Doug said in a serious tone. “You are sisters of healing and you both need to work together for the good of the people.”
Krista blushed slightly. “Oh, well now. I kinda like the sound of Earthbound Goddess when you say it like that,” she said. “I could get used to that.” She smiled and rocked back on her heels.
“Until these two get back down to the ground,” Doug said, pointing at Rachel and Wes who silently slept, “you'll keep your hands off of them.”
“And what if I don't,” Krista said, sticking out her nose as if to challenge.
“Then I'll hog tie you and throw you into the brig,” Doug said matter of factly.
“Ooo...I might like that too. Can we do that later?”
“Maybe. If you behave and remind me,” he quickly replied. “Take a few minutes to check on these two, then get back down to the Lair. When they are stable, I'll have them sent down to you.”
“Hey…,” Krista started.
“Shush,” Doug interrupted. “No argument, just do it. We need to get everyone together, probably in Mel's diner, so I need you to head that up before I get back down there.” He turned to Janey. “I need these two stable enough to travel because I need everyone down there for a gathering. No exceptions. What I have in mind is important and involves everyone.”
cHAPTER 46
Anderson (Eltanin 2)
The Dragon’s Lair / Mel’s Diner
September 5th, 2176 / Evening (Dragon time)
“A
lright, give it one more shove,” Danny, the newest engineering mechanic said. He stepped back and stroked his long, white goatee.
Big Willy put his shoulder into the massive, antique jukebox from the Betty's rec room and pushed.
“That's perfect, Willy. Just enough cord.” Danny plugged in the colorful machine. Lights flashed and bubbles flowed upward through the liquid-filled sides of the flashy machine. “We can't have a proper intergalactic truck stop without a jukebox, now can we?”
Flux Runners Page 32