by Gary Weston
Carlos said, 'As long as one of you does it. I'll leave that with you two. Twenty two hundred hours Moon Base Time for the relaying with the tug.'
Cragg asked, 'Who is the tuggy?'
'Spencer.'
'Spence? A good man.'
'Twenty two hundred hours,' said Dillow. 'We'll be ready.'
* * *
The orbit was established and Cragg was already suiting up. 'I promise you next time we need a welder, it's all yours.'
'I know. We can't afford to stuff up.'
The radio hissed. 'Craggy? Spence here. I'm on your tail. You guys ready?'
'I'm on my way right now, Spence. Good luck, Fawn. Just stay calm and focused.'
'Good luck, Craggy.'
Cragg did a stock-take in the airlock. He had secured himself to a retractable safety line, had a complete two hundred metre line around his shoulders, the welding gun and hammer in his utility belt.
'Leaving the airlock now, Dillow.'
As he leaped out of the airlock, he could see Spencer closing in, in the tug. It looked weird with the lifter attached to it. Cragg climbed along the backs of the pods until he reached the top of number seven.
'Spence? Centre on pod nine. Easy in. Easy in. Square up. Open the grabbers. Down. Down. Down. Now shut the grabbers. Perfect. Hold it there. Dillow. Unlock seven and eight pods.'
'Seven and eight, unlocking now.'
'Locks opened,' Cragg confirmed. 'Spence. Take a deep breath. Ease her up, but keep everything dead square. Steady. Nice. A little more. Pods clear. Match speeds. Now. I'm going to get a line on to secure eight to seven.'
From his belt he took two high tensile shackles and looped one on each end of the line. Then he looped the line through the pod mountings and bolted the shackles together.
'Okay, Spence. Let go of pod nine. Clear. Line taking the strain.' Cragg was certain the super strong line would hold it all together out in space. 'Spence. I've got to get more line from the airlock. Stay put.'
'Okay, Craggy.'
Cragg returned to the airlock for another coil of line and two more shackles. Then he went back to pod six. Taking out the welding gun, he used the heat to melt away his original welding. That done, he moved out of the way. 'Spence. Come in and grab number seven, the end pod. This is a tricky one, because the V sections have been warped.'
'Easy does it then. Moving in.'
Cragg guided the tug and the grabbers over pod seven. 'Don't forget we have three pods tied up to this one.'
'This was your idea, was it?'
'You got a better one?'
'Nope. Coming in.'
With the grabbers locked on, pod seven was lifted clear, thankfully not jambing in the damaged V sections. Cragg used the line and shackles to secure six and seven together.
Dillow said, 'Craggy. Can we get six pods down with the ship?'
'Don't think so. There's been some distortion between five and six. Not a lot, but enough not to risk it. We'll have to take off number six now. Spence. Leave pod seven, grab pod six. Easy. Steady, Lock grabbers. Dillow. Unlock pod six.'
'Unlocking pod six now. Green light.'
Cragg confirmed the locks had unlocked. 'Spence. Locks are off. Ease her away.' Spencer slid the pods apart. 'Dillow. We now have five pods on the ship. Spence. You have all the ducks in a row. Keep it that way. I'm going with Dillow to land our pods. See you in a couple of hours. Don't go away.'
'As if. Have fun.'
Cragg got through the air lock and took his helmet off. 'That was fun.'
'Buckle up. We're going down.'
Chapter 20
Dillow took the ship and the train of five pods in a single decreasing orbit. The landing lights were all on and the patched up cradle illuminated. Cragg stayed silent as Dillow lined up the pods on the cradle, the ship on the pad and then landed.
'Angus?' said Dillow.
'Ready.'
'Grab pod five.'
Angus straddled five with the grabbers and Dillow released the locks. This was repeated for all the pods and it took a full hour to take them all off. As soon as the pods were away, Dillow set off to join Spencer.
'Nice to see you again.' said Spencer.
Craggy said, 'You might change your mind with the next part. We need to hook up pods eight to nine to the ship. That's never been attempted in space. You up for this?'
'We can but try.'
'Okay. Good man. I need to remove the safety line. Six and seven will float for the time being. Spence. Let go of seven and grab pod nine. I'm on my way out of the airlock.'
As Cragg let himself out of the airlock and got between the pods, he waited for Spencer to lock the grabbers on pod nine before before releasing the safety line holding the pods together.
'Now the fun starts. Over to the ship, Spence.'
Spencer closed the gap between the three pods and the rear of the ship.
'Dillow. Rock steady nerves. Get ready to lock. Spence. Nice and easy. Don't crash them together.'
Spencer inched the three pods to the back of the ship. This was something nobody had tried before. The design of the ship and pods were for locking them together on the ground. It would take all of Spencer's skill to get the pods in position with a tug hastily cobbled to a grabber. How many millions of dollars depended on this going right, was anyone's guess.
Cragg got as close as he dared to the back of the ship, away from the thrusters, but close enough to see what was happening. His mouth was parched and he thought of the beer in the fridge but they had to get this job done first. Inch by inch, the front of the lead pod kissed the rear of the ship.
'Square up towards the ship. Too much. Back a touch. Slide it down. Easy. Down, Spence. Dillow get ready to lock on my word. Spence. Down now. Dillow, lock it now.'
'Locked,' said Dillow. 'Craggy?'
'Locks in place. Spence. Let go.'
Spencer opened the grabbers and that part of the job was done. But there was still more to do.
'Spence. Hang on to the damaged pods. We'll take ours down and return as soon as we can.'
Sitting next to Dillow, he let her take the ship on its one orbit, and land the pods on the cradle. Another wait for the pods to be cleared and they were back in space to work with Spencer. Starting to feel his age, Cragg went for yet another spacewalk. He undid the shackles to let the pods free.
'Spence. All yours. Get that in the cradle and come back here for the last one. We'll look after it until you do.'
'I'd better get a damn raise after all this.'
'Don't tell those muppets down there, but I've a few beers with your name on them.'
'Nice one, Craggy.'
'Good luck.'
Attempting another risky first, Spencer took the unlikely combination of tug, grabber and pod into the slight Moon's gravitational pull. Engineers and emergency crews were on standby for the unorthodox manoeuvre. A camera was recording the historic event. Spencer hovered over the cradle and Angus stood close by to guide his colleague in. Tugs had all the finesse of a butterfly wearing wooden clogs. Nothing felt right to Spencer. Relying on Angus's directions and flying blind unable to see the cradle under the pod, it was all about trust.
'Easy, Spence,' said Angus. 'To me. To me. Stop. Down. Slow. Stop. Let go of the pod. Now get clear. More. Done. Spence. That was a brilliant job, my friend.'
'Not finished yet. One more to go.'
Spencer took the tug out of the gravitational pull and orbited to meet up with the ship.
'How did it go?' Cragg asked.
'Not too shabby. They'll have cleared the cradle by the time I get this one down. You can go as soon as I've grabbed it.'
Cragg worked with Spencer to grab the final damaged pod. That done, he released the safety line.
'Don't forget that beer, Craggy.'
'Don't you get too excited. It's only from Mars.'
'That shit? Still. A beer's a beer. See you soon.'
By the time Spencer reached the cradle, the previous pod
had gone. Everyone held their breath again as the pod was eased into the cradle. Spencer was about to let the pod go, when the patched-up cradle started to buckle. As the cradle collapsed, it was taking the grabber and tug with it. Spencer tried to release the pod, but everything was tipping over before he could let go of it. It seemed to play out in slow motion, as cradle, pod, grabber and tug crashed into the soft Moon dirt. The combined weight of the grabber and pod crushed the tug into a compressed tangle of wreckage with Spencer inside. A huge cloud of dust covered everything. Eventually, the dust settled to reveal the mangled tug.
'Spence?' yelled Angus. He got no reply. It didn't look good for Spencer. 'Spence!'
'Are you lot going to get me out of here?' yelled, Spencer. 'My shift finished hours ago.'
Chapter 21
With the total booze ban, Angus and a bandaged Spencer joined Cragg and Dillow on the ship. A bucket had been filled with ice and beer. Spencer was wearing a sling for his broken left arm and bandages for his broken ribs.'
'I bet that hurt, Spence,' said Craggy.
'Still does.'
'Didn't they give you something for the pain?' said a concerned Dillow.
'Yeah. But I can't take them with beer. A man has to have his priorities right.'
'Well. I think we did a good job out there,' said Cragg. 'Cheers, everybody.'
'Cheers.'
'So, Craggy,' said Angus. 'No more flying for you.'
Cragg said, 'This last trip was pretty eventful. Not a bad way to finish off.'
'What are your plans?'
'Chugger Taylor has offered me a job in the sanitation department.'
'Oh, man. That stinks,' said Spencer.
'More than likely,' said Dillow.
'I meant Craggy should have a much better job than that. What a waste.'
Cragg shrugged and passed more beer around. 'Well, no way am I going to Earth again. I'm too old for Mars, I'm told, so I should count my blessings for a job here.'
'Better than nothing, I guess,' said Angus. 'What about you, Fawn?'
'Mars. I'm going back as soon as I've a load to take. I see myself living there.'
Spencer said, 'Not planning on hauling freight?'
'Maybe for a year or two.'
'Is that right?' said Cragg. 'Don't you need your captains tickets to do that?'
'Yes, of course I...Craggy? Are you failing me?'
'Well, I was just thinking...'
'Craggy?'
'I was just thinking you could do with this.' From his pocket, he took out a velvet box. 'Here you go.'
Dillow opened the box. She took out the gold double lightning bolts.
Cragg laughed. 'Congratulations, Freighter Captain first class Fawn Dillow.'
Chapter 22
Moon Commander Anton Forbes invited Cragg and Dillow into his office. 'Coffee? Tea? The real thing. Very rare.'
'Thanks,' said Cragg. 'Tea will do us fine.'
Forbes put the call through for refreshments. 'First of all, I'd like to thank you both for your terrific work out there. Sterling efforts in saving the haul. Well done, you two.'
Dillow said, 'Angus and Spencer did a great job, too.'
'Indeed they did and we'll reward them accordingly. I see you are wearing your captains pin.'
'Craggy thinks I've earned it.'
'I do,' said Cragg.
Forbes said,'It's well deserved. Are you looking to haul freight to Mars?'
'Yes. I'm ready to go as soon as there's a load to take.'
'Hmm. We can always take anything Mars supplies us with, but to make it economical, we need to take stuff to them, too.'
Dillow asked,'Don't you have anything to take?'
'Not for a couple of weeks or so. Can you kick back until then? I'm sure your father would like to see you?'
'Is he on Moon?'
'On his way. He was on security observation on his ship The Eye. Keeping an eye on Earth. He'll be here in a couple of days or so.'
Cragg said, 'That'll be nice for you to catch up.'
'I suppose,' said Dillow. 'Commander Forbes. Just out of interest, that marsillium we brought in. What do they want it for?'
'The West didn't go into details. Something about a non polluting power source. '
'A bit late for that,' said Cragg.
Forbes said, 'It's paid for. We just have to deliver it.'
Dillow said, 'With an unmanned ship I've been told.'
Forbes linked his fingers and leaned back in his chair. 'We have no choice. No captain, rookie or otherwise would take it with the diseases rampant, and we wouldn't allow it. We need a ship to survive the entry into Earth's atmosphere. We have one fully reusable ship. The new one, Big Bird. We have been flat-out adapting it for the marsillium and also for computer controlled flight. It is programmed to return with the laser powered steelworks. Development of Moon, and to some degree, Mars, will be extremely difficult without it.'
'When does it go?' asked Cragg.
'All being well, twelve days time. The ship's ready, but the commissioning of the computers will take the time. Would you care for a guided tour? I could take you tomorrow if you like.'
'I'd really like that, Commander Forbes,' said Cragg.
'Me too,' said Dillow. 'Thanks.'
Chapter 23
As agreed, Cragg and Dillow met with Forbes the following morning. Fully suited, the Moon Commander drove them himself the twenty five kilometres away from the Base buildings, to the new ship site. The sheer size of the project made Cragg and Dillow gasp.
'Three hundred and fifty metres in length,' said Forbes, proudly. 'Fifty meters in diameter. Twin plasma drive engines. Our engineers are constantly refining the propulsion systems.'
Cragg said,'From my poor old brain, I recall helium gas being bombarded with electrical pulses. That turns it into plasma, which is ejected using electrostatic and electromagnetic forces and that's the propulsion.'
'I'm impressed,' said Dillow.
'Don't be. I've no idea what any of that means,' admitted Cragg.
'It means,' said Forbes, 'We don't have to lug around a load of fuel to get from A to B. We can go faster, further and carry more. The improved engines can reach twice the speed of your old freighter. The skin is a new material made from Martian elements, mostly marsillium sprayed on in a thin coating. Super resilient to heat.'
'And that's the launch slope?' Dillow asked.
'Yes. That's a five kilometre, forty five degree slope. The ship is winched backwards up the slope, then the plasma engines fire up and down she goes, then up the short upward slope, into space. Cuts down on take off fuel usage by sixty seven percent.'
'Amazing,' said Cragg. 'How does it land?'
'Rotatable thrusters and retractable legs. The ship is a beauty. This is the future of space travel.'
'But no people,' said Dillow.
Forbes said, 'It can carry people. Up to three hundred passengers at a time if it isn't fully loaded with goods. Just no pilot.'
'Captain Dillow is concerned she's about to be made redundant,' said Cragg.
Forbes laughed. 'I'm not exactly keen on billion dollar ships being controlled by a bunch of circuitry. If it wasn't the risk of picking up contagious diseases, this baby would have a human in charge. I mean, look at what you two dealt with. See a computer anywhere that could do any of that?'
'Can we look inside?' asked Dillow.
'Follow me.'
They followed Forbes to the front of the ship.
'This is the pointy end,' said Cragg, confidently.
'Nothing lost on you, Craggy,' said Forbes.
The airlock hatch was open and a young woman was sitting in a cramped bucket seat. Miles of multi coloured cables were pouring over the side of the hatch, to a man and woman with sophisticated diagnostic equipment.
'A seat?' said Cragg.
'Only one. For the computer technician, but also for manual override by a pilot should the need arise,' explained Forbes. 'Stella. How is it going?'<
br />
The technician in the seat smiled at the commander. 'Good. We have three independent systems, one kicking in if the other fails.'
'So reassuring,' said Dillow.
'You're Fawn Dillow,' said Stella. 'That was quite an adventure you just had.'
'It was pretty full on. You fly?'
'No. I've been in a few ships, but not as captain of one.'
Forbes asked, 'Stella. Will we be ready for take off on the set launch date?'
'Hopefully.'
'Hopefully?'
'Hopefully.'
Cragg sensed the friction and decided to defuse it. 'Commander Forbes. Maybe we should let the young lady get on with her work.'
'Okay. I see a ship coming in. That, if I'm not mistaken, is Commander Dillow. I hope you get to spend some time with your father. Allow me to take you to him.'
Chapter 24
Space Security Commander Lance “armour” Dillow had a black ship. Not a nice shiny attractive black, but a dull, angular, single plasma drive thing, bristling with laser canons, so it was no surprise when the space legend himself appeared at the top of the ramp as the hatch opened. A dozen officers in similarly uninspiring black suits and helmets parted and marched down on either side of the giant.
In his helmet, he stood a shade over seven foot tall. He saw his daughter waiting for him at the bottom of the ramp. He seemed to pause as if deciding whether or not to go down the ramp to her. The ramp shook as he stomped down towards her.
'Commander Forbes,' he said, tilting his black sun visor out of the way. He had piercing, suspicious green eyes, that chilled anyone he encountered. He glanced briefly at his daughter before giving his undivided attention to Moon Commander Forbes. Forbes kicked off.
'Good to have you back, Commander Dillow. You know Captain Cragg?'
'Craggy. Not brought beer back from Mars, I hope?'
'Me? As if. Oh, by the way. Allow me to introduce Freighter Captain Fawn Dillow.'
'Yeah? It looks like everyone's either a captain or a commander these days.'