by Ricky Sides
Patricia blushed and Tim took her hand beaming at his wife with pride.
“Bill requires a strictly controlled environment and intensive nursing during his convalescence. To that end, I want to thank two crewmembers especially for your contributions to his recovery. Pete has volunteered his cabin, which has been sanitized by Lacey and me. That cabin is now officially off limits to all crewmembers with the exceptions of Lacey and me. Lacey has volunteered her time in the extensive nursing that Bill will need since I have another patient with serious medical injuries and can’t spend all of my time with one patient.”
Another round of applause erupted and Maggie thanked everyone involved in the treatment of the injured men pointing out that the work of the medics made it possible for them to be having this meeting instead of attending a funeral today. She led the applause for the medics.
When Maggie sat down, Jim stood and said, “For the duration of the medical emergency, Evan and I will be sleeping in the cargo bay as well. Maggie and Lisa will be staying in our quarters since Lisa has special needs that also require Maggie’s attention. Lacey will sleep in Pete’s cabin in one of the spare bunks while she is doing the extensive nursing with Bill.”
Maggie thanked Jim and Lacey for their consideration of Lisa’s needs during this trying time. Jim continued, “When we return to the peacekeeper base, there will of course be a formal ceremony, but Pete and I have discussed it, and we both feel that Maggie deserves recognition for her valor in the face of danger and for her outstanding performance when Bill’s life hung in the balance. Working with inadequate supplies, she saved the life of a fellow crewmember. Maggie, please stand,” Jim said and turned to Pete. “If you would, please do the honors, Pete.”
Pete stood and walked to stand beside Maggie and opened a box. He removed the lieutenant’s bars and pinned them to her collars and then he congratulated her on the superb performance of her duty. There was a warm round of applause for the doctor who was well respected among the crew.
Jim then took a moment to stare at the crewmembers present before speaking. He wanted to express something that he didn’t really know how to express properly. Finally, he gave up on attempting to compose it poetically and simply said what was in his heart. “Sergeant Wilcox saved his fellow crewmember, Pete Damroyal from a vicious mauling by dropping his weapon and pushing Pete out of the danger zone. Such uncommon valor seems to be common among the peacekeepers. Sergeant Wilcox is exemplary in the performance of his duty and his loyalty to his fellow crewmates. As I look at your faces, I see many people of such uncommon valor as the sergeant has exemplified. When this crew first came together, I’d hoped for just one among you to display the sort of dedication and loyalty that the sergeant has displayed today. Yet I find to my great surprise that this capacity seems abundant among my crewmates. I’m a lucky man to serve among such a distinguished crew.” Picking up his glass of water he said, “I’d like to propose a toast if you will,” and he paused for a moment giving the people time to pick up their glasses. “To the crew of the Peacekeeper, God bless you one and all.”
“To the crew,” came the reply from all assembled.
“Now it’s time to attend to other business,” Jim said.
“Captain, if I may?” Maggie asked.
“Yes, Lieutenant?” Jim asked.
“I really should be getting back to check on Bill and the Sergeant,” Maggie stated.
“Yes, of course. Do you need Lacey?” Jim asked.
“Not for a while. We’ll need to change Bill’s bandages in an hour. I like to remove the old and replace the new ones as rapidly as possible at this stage of his healing process to minimize the risk of infection. That requires another set of hands,” Maggie explained.
“The meeting will be over well before that time,” Jim assured Maggie and nodded as she left the room.
“All right people this is what we know. We know that great cats have been attacking the population of this city. We know that two tigers attacked our crewmates. We know that tigers are not indigenous to North America, so it is logical to assume that they were the property of the circus that was here last year. We know that this circus had four great cats. Two were tigers and two were lions.”
“Now this is what we suspect,” Jim said pausing to collect his thoughts. “We suspect that the son of the circus owner may be involved personally. Since he was the animal trainer, it’s conceivable that he may actually be setting the animals to attack specific victims. We suspect that we have narrowed down the range of the animals, confining their range to one specific area. We suspect that the two unaccounted for lions may also be present in that area and at least at times they are running free.”
“Pete and I have devised a plan to lure the lions to us. Tim has volunteered to be the bait in a manner of speaking,” Jim said and Patricia leapt to her feet.
“He did what?!” Patricia said glaring at Jim.
Laughing, Tim told his wife to sit down and hear the rest of the plan before leaping to conclusions.
Jim went on as if the disruption hadn’t taken place. “Lacey will draw a pint of blood. That blood will be suspended above the ground at about the height of a man’s head. The blood will be released from a drip control valve and permitted to run down a long strip of cloth. This will be the scent lure. Our communications specialist will prepare an audio loop of Tim moaning, as if in pain, to be placed near the scent lure. Between the scent and audio lures we hope to attract the two lions to that area.”
“I can guarantee you some credible painful moaning from Tim,” Patricia said still piqued at being so alarmed, but the general laughter at her comment made her smile and she took his hand in hers forgiving him.
“Pete and I will be on the ground in sniper positions waiting for the lions to go for the bait. If all goes well, we hope to be able to lure both lions in and eliminate that threat. Then we can search the woodlands in relative safety, though we do know that at least one bear is also present. However, somewhere in those woods we suspect that the animal tamer is in hiding. If possible, he needs to be eliminated. He is already responsible for the deaths of fourteen men, three are still missing, and we almost lost Bill to one of his tigers today as well,” Jim said in conclusion.
One of the snipers stood up and said, “Captain, with all due respect, I suggest we amend your plan.”
“I’m open to suggestions,” Jim said reasonably.
“Then send me in your place. This mission is too dangerous to risk the captain of our ship,” the man stated emphatically.
“And I’ll take Pete’s place,” stated another sniper. “He is equally vital to the peacekeepers as a whole. God forbid it should happen but if Bill should die and we lose Pete…,” the man left the rest unsaid.
“I’ll go, sir,” said the remaining sniper.
Pete and Jim looked at each other and smiled. Jim spoke for them both when he said, “Your concerns are noted specialists, but in this case your suggestion is overruled. Neither Pete nor myself will ask another crewmember to take on a task that we won’t assume ourselves.”
“But, sir…” began the man.
Jim held up his hand gesturing for silence and said, “Let me finish please.”
“Sorry, sir,” the sniper said and sat back down.
“Pete and I discussed the matter and we decided that should some of you snipers volunteer, then we could use good qualified marksmen as spotters to work with us on this mission. Of course you’d have to also help watch our backs in case one of the lions happens to come up on us from behind,”
Beaming with pleasure the sniper said, “It would be an honor, sir. And taking spotters is much safer.”
“Who will be going with you, sir?” asked one of the snipers.
Pete reached out and pulled three toothpicks from the toothpick holder. He snapped one in half and put his hands beneath the table. Getting up he walked to the three snipers with three toothpicks sticking up out of his closed hand. “Pick one,” he said to t
he sniper who’d originally brought the matter up. The man drew a whole toothpick and grinned contentedly. “You’re with Jim,” Pete said and then he moved to the next man. He drew the short toothpick. “Thank you for your offer. Next mission, you get the nod,” Pete said to console the man, and then he turned to the remaining man and said, “You’re with me.”
“When do we leave on the mission,” asked one of the snipers.
“In an hour,” Jim replied. “It will take that long to draw the blood and cut the audio and then do last minute checks.”
“Just tape Tim while Lacey’s drawing the blood. That should give you plenty of groans,” Pete said grinning at Tim good-naturedly. The two got along rather well and Jim was glad to see that they were now comfortable enough in their friendship to trade little jibes.
Lisa surprised everyone then when she walked up to Pete and put her arms around his neck as he sat at the table. She hugged him tightly and this time she didn’t cringe when he patted her on the back. “You be careful, Pete. I’ve seen what the tigers did to the poor crewmen and I don’t want anything bad to happen to you,” she said with tears in her eyes.
“I’ll be fine, sweetheart. It will take more than a kitty to do me in,” he said, mimicking the words Bill had uttered after surviving his own attack.
Turning to the rest of the crew she said, “All of you, going on the mission, please be careful. I’ll be worrying about you all.” Lisa turned and walked out of the room then and you could hear a pin drop as she left. The child seemed so mature in some ways. But after the hell that Reggie had put her through, that early maturity was probably natural. She’d already experienced more pain and suffering than most adult women had.
Evan walked up then and hugged Jim. “I’ll be thinking of you too, Jim,” the boy said and Jim smiled at the boy.
“Thank you, Evan. You stay out of trouble while I’m gone. Your mom will be busy tending her nursing duties,” Jim said.
“He can bunk in our cabin. We do have another bed in there and he is welcome there. You men may be out all night tonight,” Patricia said.
“Thank you Patricia,” Lacey said and smiled at her sister-in-law.
“Jim, if that’s all, I need to see the Sergeant before we leave,” Pete said.
“Meeting adjourned,” Jim said rising to his feet. He kissed Lacey, who had to go draw Tim’s blood, and reminded Patricia not to forget the tape and a means to play it back, and then he headed to his quarters to collect his gear and transfer it to the cargo bay.
***
Pete saw Lacey exit the infirmary with a bag of supplies she would need to draw Tim’s blood for the bait lure. Lacey turned and walked to the control cabin where she would draw the blood while Tim was making the audio tape of groans and moans and cries of pain. He waited for a moment and then knocked on the infirmary room door. Maggie opened it almost immediately. “Come in, Pete,” she said smiling as if she’d expected him.
“Thank you, Maggie. I came to see the Sergeant. Is he awake?” Pete asked.
“He is and he wants to get dressed to go about his duties. I already warned him that if he gets out of bed I’ll be forced to sedate him and don’t think I won’t, Pete Damroyal,” she said forcefully.
“I wouldn’t doubt that for a moment, Maggie,” Pete said grinning. “I’m leaving on a mission in an hour and I want to speak to the Sergeant, if he’s strong enough,” Pete said soberly.
“He is strong enough for conversation yes, but don’t let him convince you he is fit for duty, because he isn’t,” Maggie said seriously.
“No worries there, Doctor. I trust your judgment. On this ship you decide who’s fit for duty and who isn’t,” Pete said loudly enough for the sergeant to hear him and the sergeant slumped in defeat
“Maggie smiled in pleasure at that statement and said, “I’ll give you two some privacy,” She walked out softly closing the door and went to go see exactly why Lacey needed the blood gear. She had been too busy with the sergeant to ask when she’d noticed Lacey getting the equipment from the storage cabinet.
Pete walked over and stood beside Sergeant Wilcox’s bed. “You should have heard what the captain just said about you and the crew,” Pete said and then he quoted Jim to the best of his ability.
“Well now, to that end I really didn’t intend to take a mauling myself. I just thought I could get us both out of the way before the cat reached us. I guess I was a bit slow,” he said sheepishly.
“You were fast, but the cat was faster,” Pete said soberly. “I’m not really accustomed to thanking people you know. Not for things that they do for me.”
“That’s because you so seldom let anyone do anything for you,” the strike team leader responded.
“Perhaps,” Pete replied, “but in your case, I really wanted to make the effort. You see, there’s something that I want to do when this mission is over. Something I’ve thought over carefully. Something that’s very important to me. If you hadn’t done what you did today, who knows how things might have turned out. Therefore, I wanted to say thank you for giving me a chance to survive that incident today. Thanks to your valor, I might live to accomplish what I have in mind.”
“Care to share what that special something might be?” asked the sergeant. Pete did. “You may count on my discretion,” Sergeant Wilcox said when Pete had revealed his plans and hopes for the future.
“Thank you, Sergeant. I’m leaving on a mission tonight. It’s hairy at best. So if something should go wrong it would please me to know that you might inform the right people that I did have plans and hopes that I…,”
“I’ll handle it. And, Pete, it’s an honor to be trusted with this duty.”
“Just don’t say anything prematurely,” Pete warned.
“Never,” agreed the sergeant soberly.
Maggie opened the door and entered the infirmary then. She said, “Before you leave the ship, I’d like to speak to you outside, Pete.”
Pete shook hands with Sergeant Wilcox and wished him a speedy recovery. “I’ll try to find you some flowers out in the boonies,” Pete said.
Chuckling softly, the sergeant thanked him and watched as he left the room followed by Maggie. “Well I’ll be damned,” he said softly to himself.
Maggie followed Pete through the hall and he stopped just shy of the control room. “Will this do?” he asked.
“Actually, I meant outside the ship,” Maggie said.
Pete led the way to the door and stopped a moment to inform the crew in the control room that he and Maggie were stepping outside for a moment for a private discussion and that they would be near if needed. He borrowed the rifle from the duty guard and stepped outside into the early night air. Maggie followed and the door closed behind her.
Pete led the way to a building just up the street and stopped with the building at his back. From that position, nothing and no one could approach them undetected. Maggie leaned back beside him and said, “I know about the mission that you’re going on. I know just how dangerous these cats can be. I’ve seen two attacks with my own eyes.”
“It is dangerous. I never said it wasn’t,” Pete stated simply.
“Well, before you go, there are some things I want to say to you,” she said with a soft expression in her eyes.
“All right, there are some things that I would like to say to you as well, but you first,” Pete replied.
“Today, when the tiger came for you, I was so afraid for you that I finally admitted to myself that I love you. I know that you don’t love me and that’s all right. After all, I have Lisa and I’ve decided to keep her if she’ll have me for an adopted mom so I’m not alone. But you are alone, Pete, and I love you enough to tell you that I hope you find someone you love one day,” Maggie said this last with a sigh.
Pete kissed her tenderly then. He meant it to be a chaste kiss but the yearning in both their hearts made that impossible. Then Pete broke the kiss and laughed. “Something is funny?” Maggie asked.
“Act
ually, yes,” Pete responded and took her hand leading her back to the ship. He stopped briefly outside and kissed the confused woman again. This time even more deeply. He opened the door and led her back to the infirmary, pausing only to return the guard’s weapon and order him to seal the door.
In the infirmary, Pete stopped at the foot of the sergeant’s bed and said, “Sergeant Wilcox, would you please be so kind as to deliver the message that I gave you to give in the event of my failure to return from this mission.” It was an order and not a question.
“Now, sir?” asked the confused sergeant.
“Yes, Sergeant,” Pete said grinning.
“Pete was concerned that should something go wrong on the mission neither you nor Lisa would know how he felt about you. When this mission is over, he wants to marry you, Maggie, and he wants you both to take Lisa as your daughter to raise and love together,” the sergeant said beaming a smile at the woman and then he frowned and asked, “Hey, wait a minute. Did I just propose to Maggie or did you, Pete?”
“You did, but it was for me. You did a splendid job of it too, Sergeant. Thank you very much,” Pete said happily.
Maggie took Pete’s hand in hers and looked him in the eyes. “Mind if I say yes to you instead of the Sergeant?”
“Not at all,” Pete said and kissed her.
“Damn, you mean I don’t get to kiss the bride?” I do all the work and he has all the fun. You two get out of here. I’m a sick man, and I need my rest,” the sergeant said feigning anger. He was happy for both of them.
They found Lisa sitting alone in Jim and Lacey’s cabin. Maggie told Lisa that she was going to marry Pete and the child stood up to leave. “I’ll see if the captain will just let me off the ship here in this town and get out of the way,” the child said bravely, holding back tears.