Rise of the Altered Moon: Altered Moon Series: Book One (The Altered Moon Series 1)
Page 13
“Boy, I don’t know.” CJ feigned indifference. “I would have to clear my schedule. There’s that affair with the Emperor’s daughter, and…” the others all gave him the ‘don’t be an ass’ look, “and…of, course I would love to.” He finished with a laugh and shook Boss’s hand just enough so he wouldn’t jostle him around.
They all laughed and a dark situation seemed to get a little brighter. Boss sighed and closed his eyes, so Cat shooed everyone out of the recovery bay to give her patient time to rest. She dimmed the med bay lights and curled up on the office couch. She was grateful beyond words to be out of that life pod and back aboard the Altered Moon…back home.
*~*~*
Chapter Nineteen
Boss worked daily at increasing what little strength and endurance the injuries had left him. The process was tough at first because he had to accept the tiny increments of progress, as his body slowly healed the damaged tissue. But, over time the flesh mended and the muscles grew stronger. He recovered enough to move from his bed to a suspensor chair, and then eventually was able to use the head on his own.
What an unappreciated freedom this is, he thought to himself as he sat once again upon the throne.
CJ and Gina spent the time going over the Altered Moon’s dark matter thruster systems, DMITS for short, and String Field Drive operation. Boss brought CJ up to speed where the West Becreth Trading Company scheme was concerned. Cat split her time between helping Boss with his recovery and helping CJ with the Moon’s weapon systems. At Boss’ suggestion, she showed CJ the forward and aft missile bays and the autoloader magazines. She went over the Rellia K-200 charged hydrogen particle cannons, which was the much bigger cousin to the K-13 pistol and the K-20 rifles. CJ appeared quite intrigued by the Moonbeams when Cat explained how they worked.
The Altered Moon could channel the gathered dark matter particles from the DMITS, which could be directed from beam emitters mounted on the front of the ship. The focused dark matter that came in contact with any physical or energy-based obstruction began to erode the obstruction at the molecular level. The molecules of the target separated as the dark matter opened a hole that a missile or particle cannon could be fired through. The only drawback was the fifteen to thirty seconds of uninterrupted dark matter stream it took to do the job. Thirty seconds could be a very long time in a tense situation.
CJ seemed pretty well versed on the Moon and her systems by the time that Boss felt recovered enough to start planning their next move. The time Boss spent recovering made one thing clear: he was never going to be able to sit at the command station on the bridge in a suspensor chair. He watched CJ as he became more and more familiar with the Altered Moon, which eased his mind and spurred thoughts of ‘what if.’
GABI came to visit often now that she was a truly independent entity. She and Boss missed the interaction with each other since their connection had been so abruptly cut off. Their conversations had become more interesting somehow, like old friends that have met once again later in life.
“Say, GABI, whatever happened to the parrot and the other things you used to appear as?” asked Boss.
“This form is the only option written in to my neural programming,” she explained. “The patterns for the other materializations came from my sub-neural connection to you. Your thoughts provided the necessary data for me to form the patterns.”
“Oh, that’s too bad. I enjoyed that,” he said sadly.
“Then I shall find a way to add them back in to my neural programming,” she vowed.
“GABI, my dear friend,” Boss said, “I have a hard decision to make and it concerns you, mostly. I need your help to decide what to do.”
“I will be glad to provide whatever assistance that you require, Bernard Keltzer,” she answered.
“Actually, that brings up another matter, first. When you use both the first and last names of people it makes you seem impersonal. I think that the crew would accept you more if you used their first names or call signs, if you would like to try. For myself, I like ‘Boss’ much better than I do ‘Bernard,’ so let’s start there.”
“Yes…Boss,” she answered. “That would conserve several minutes of conversation over time.”
“Yes.” Boss laughed. “It would indeed. The other matter, GABI…the Altered Moon is a fine ship. I’ve come to realize that I can no longer be the captain that she deserves. It was a strange twist of fate that brought CJ Evermore to us. There’s a connection that I don’t quite understand yet. I’m going to ask him to join the crew and stay on permanently as captain of the Altered Moon. What are your thoughts?”
“CJ Evermore has shown personal qualities that are quite similar to those of yourself and Gina Ri—Gina. His ability for quick learning and strong moral character indicate a high aptitude for leadership. The level of his engineering knowledge will be a benefit to the crew of—”
“No, GABI,” Boss shook his head. “I didn’t ask for an analysis of his capabilities. How do you feel about him being the captain? Are you okay with it?”
“Okay?” GABI pondered for a moment. “Yes, Boss, I am…okay with it.”
“Good. Help him as you’ve always helped me.”
“Are you leaving?” she asked.
“No, you’re not getting off that easy,” he teased her. “I’m not relinquishing the ship, just my command. The Altered Moon is my home now. I’ll be staying on as science officer so I will be double-checking every one of your equations. Don’t screw up, girlie, because I’ll be watching.”
“I believe,” she scolded him with a raised eyebrow, “that ‘girlie’ is an antiquated, and still quite sexist term, Bernard.”
“Ah, ha, ha,” Boss laughed. “Now that’s the GABI I know and love. Let’s go see how the others are doing. Race ya!” Boss set his suspensor chair to high speed, raced out through the med bay door, and nearly slammed into the corridor wall. “Make a hole! Wide load comin’ through! Watch out, Cat!”
“Hey! Be careful!” Cat scolded her patient as he headed for the exit.
“Whoohoo!” Boss flew down the boarding ramp, shot past Gina and CJ who stood by the DMITS intake ports at the bow of the ship, and cruised across the cavern floor. “Round ‘em up and move ‘em out,” he hollered while he circled one arm over his head.
“Looks like somebody’s feeling better,” Gina yelled after him.
“Yeah…I didn’t know those things went that fast,” CJ tried to say before Boss sped by.
Boss actually kicked up a dust trail as he finished his circuit around the hideaway hangar. He cruised over to them and finished up with a little sideways drift slide. “Fill ’er up and check the oil, will ya? And make it snappy, I got places ta be.”
“I, for one, think that you are already full…of something,” said Gina who caused CJ to smile and laugh.
“Spit and vinegar, my dear, spit and vinegar,” retorted Boss. “Knock, knock?”
Gina just looked at him with an ‘ah, no’ look.
“Knock, knock,” he said more intently.
“Who’s there?” Gina asked dryly.
“Orange.”
“Orange who?” she asked as she rolled her eyes.
“Orange ya glad I’m feelin’ better?” he said while he smiled and wiggled his eyebrows at her.
“Do I have to answer?” she asked sarcastically, as she squeezed his hand to show him that her real answer was yes.
Boss reached over to goose her caboose.
“Hey watch it, bub,” she scolded him. “I can ask the captain to order you to behave now.”
“Well, that will keep him busy,” Boss said with a wink at CJ.
“Hey, all I saw was Boss brushing some dust from your rump,” CJ said with mock innocence.
“Men.” Gina shook her head and acted disgusted. “Ancient Earth seems to be alive and well and living in the two of you.”
The two men broke into laughter; Gina eventually joined in, but still shook her head.
“Ahh…ha.” B
oss wiped a tear of laughter from the corner of his eye. “You two in a good place to stop?” he asked in regard to CJ’s lessons on the Altered Moon. “We need to go over some things.”
“Yes, I could use some coffee,” said CJ. “G?” She nodded her head.
The three of them talked idly as they crossed the hangar and went up the boarding ramp. They picked up Cat in the squad bay, where she’d stowed some gear, and together they all went to down to the ship’s mess hall.
GABI, CJ mouthed the silent question at Boss who nodded.
“GABI, there’s a meeting in the mess hall,” called out CJ. “Will you join us, please?”
“Certainly, Captain,” she shimmered immediately into view.
“Now that would be stellar,” Cat nodded her head. “To all of a sudden just be where you wanted to go.”
“Yes?” inquired GABI. “I have often wondered what it would be like to actually feel the deck plates under my feet.”
“I’ll make some coffee,” said Gina, as she shoved a coffee disk into the machine and pushed the BREW button. The coffee machine came to life with a
“Ahh.” Boss sipped his black coffee. “Well, I have some things that I need to share with you all. I have decided to step down as captain because of physical limitations.” The others fell quiet at the sad, but not unexpected announcement. “After talking it over with GABI, I am going to ask CJ to officially join our crew and take permanent command of the Altered Moon. It’s not a decision that neither he, nor I, should take lightly.” He finished off looking squarely at CJ.
“I have to say, Boss, that I love this ship,” said CJ. “The time I’ve had to get to know her systems and capabilities has really made me feel at home around her. So, as to being part of the crew, yes I accept, absolutely and immediately. As for being the captain, are you sure you got the right guy? I have no command experience whatsoever.”
“Nobody has command experience without first having experienced command,” Boss spewed wisely.
Gina coughed an odd-sounding
Boss shot her a ‘What? That was good’ look. “There’s a unique opportunity here, CJ,” he continued. “One that I think you’re the right man for. I don’t believe that you and the opportunity showing up at the same time is a coincidence. I’ll stay on as science officer to handle navigation, sensors and comms. Cat can handle weapons and shields as well as CMO duties. Gina can continue as star pilot and GABI can handle the jump equations and the String Field Drive. We’ll all have to pitch in on maintenance and repairs. Small as it may be, Captain, you’ve got yourself a crew.”
“But, what about the trading company?” CJ asked. “I know nothing about running a business, either.”
“I’ll handle that,” Boss said slyly. “I can stay the front man for the business. The suspensor chair will only add spice to my stories. So, what think ye, Cap’n? Are ye up fer the challenge, sir?”
“Aye, matey, that I be,” CJ answered and shook Boss’s hand once again, this time sealing the deal as captain of the Altered Moon. The rest of his crew smiled and congratulated him, indicating acceptance of their new captain.
“Good, I am pleased,” said Boss. “But, that is only the first matter we need to discuss and with the captain’s permission, I’ll lay out what I know.”
“Yes, science officer, please continue,” said a very pleased Captain CJ Evermore.
“We’ve had a big setback,” Boss began, “but, the plan remains basically the same. My intent was to cross into Arzian space in an effort to find Nelson Moon.”
“The guy who built the ship…isn’t he dead?” asked CJ. It was the first time Boss had made him privy to the original plan.
Boss told CJ the story of how he met Nelson and about the research program with GABI. He told of the extended test flight joyride that he and GABI took with the Altered Moon and of how they found the research lab destroyed when they got back. He finished his story with how he took the Moon and ran, but always had to look over his shoulder, in case someday his past would catch up to him.
“Nelson’s body was never recovered,” Boss said. “Bascher Shipwrights held a public funeral for him and life went on. Part of me believes that Nelson set off the explosion to keep the GABI and dark matter technologies from falling into the wrong hands. Years later a crazy old star pilot told me that Nelson was in Arzian space on a planet in the Thraden system.”
“Do you think he’s going to know what happened to the Istraulis?” asked Cat.
“I don’t even know if it’s true,” said Boss, “but, if he’s alive, he’ll have a good idea of what’s going on. Nelson was an incredibly smart man. His projections of future events were always spot-on. I think it is worth the risk of crossing the no-fly zone and we can resupply somewhere in Thraden without sending up a red flag as to where we are.”
“I agree with Boss,” said CJ. “Besides, we’d be there already if things hadn’t turned out the way they did. A couple of hours to square things away and prep the ship and we’re ready to go. Is there any reason to wait?”
No comments or objections came from the others, but Boss spoke up again. “There is the matter of the shuttle. We could use the fuel plates and ration packs at least. There are a number of other items that could be salvaged as well. We should retrieve it. It wouldn’t take that much and we could always scrap it later.”
“What about Trigger and the others?” asked Gina.
“Trigger, Gar, and Hali can drift in space for all eternity for all I care,” said Boss scornfully. “We should hold a ship’s ceremony for Tamara.” The thought of Wilks as she drifted dead in the vacuum of space suddenly hit Boss deep in the chest. “We should clear out the crew quarters and stow their personal effects, as well.”
“I wonder if Wilks had any family,” said CJ.
“Yes,” said Cat, “her folks and two sisters on Shongri Quarnon.”
“We’ll get word to them someday,” CJ promised.
“What about the others?” asked Cat.
“Let them drift,” he said.
“Aye, sir.”
“I’d like to take care of the personal belongings,” said Boss. “I’d like to see what Trigger may have left behind.”
“Very good,” said CJ. “G, once we’re in the air, set a course back to the shuttle. Cat and I will cut loose what we need to secure the shuttle in the bay, then we continue on to Thraden. Okay? Good, let’s prep the ship and dust off as soon as we’re ready.”
*~*~*
Chapter Twenty
The flight back through the radiation field to where Lunar Mare drifted aimlessly through space was uneventful. CJ and Cat amputated the grappler arm where it stuck out from the shuttle’s fuselage. They got the hulk of the shuttle into the bay and anchored to the deck plates. The heavy winch in the shuttle bay pulled the rest of the grappler arm from the shuttle with the snapping crunch of a broken bone.
Gar’s mangled body was dragged from the wreckage, enmeshed in the claw end of the arm like mud between your toes. CJ removed the winch cable and pushed Gar, and his new ride, out of the shuttle bay. Don’t let the door smack ya, he thought to himself. He raised the single-finger salute as he watched the nasty bastard drift away. The only thing left of JP was both legs from the knees down. The rest was unrecognizable biomass.
Cat looked over at CJ through her EV suit helmet. “I guess we’ll have to give JP the boot,” she joked about what was left of him.
“Ooo, that was bad, Cat,” scolded CJ. “Here let me give you a leg up, JP.” He tossed JP’s right stump out into space followed by his left.
“Captain?” Boss called over the comms, but didn’t get an immediate answer. “Captain Evermore?”
“Oh shit, that’s me. Go ahead
, Boss.”
“You may want to give Trigger the once-over before you let him go,” said Boss. “We’ve found a lockbox that needs a passkey and, ah…an eyeball and index finger.”
“What?” CJ asked with a laugh. “Come back on that. An eyeball and index finger?”
“Ah, yes, that’s affirmative, Captain.”
CJ could see in his mind Boss and Gina on the bridge, as they got a kick out this. “Copy that.”
Turning to Cat he joked, “Doctor Katzu, this man needs surgery.”
“Yes, sir!” She shot off a playful salute. “One pop and chop coming up.” She went about her grizzly work as CJ chipped away at the frozen fabric that covered Trigger’s pockets. After they secured all the requested items, they sent Dylan Treesh off to begin his new life as cosmic flotsam. CJ cleared the debris away from the port side of the crew cabin, which uncovered Wilks and Hali.
Hali was in the rear seat, which had been crushed under the debris against the rear bulkhead by the end of the grappler arm. The entire right side of her head and body had been flattened and partially torn away. CJ freed the seat assembly and sent the entire thing, Hali and all, off into space. The condition of Hali’s remains struck a somber chord in CJ. It reminded him of Katy’s abduction and the destruction of the Istraulis.
A somber mood fell upon them when they discovered Tamara’s body. There was no sign of trauma; she was strapped in the seat, arms reaching out for help. The atmosphere that rushed out of the shuttle protected her briefly from the void as the cold of space froze her solid. On her face, which was lined with icy tears, was an expression of grief, surprise, and despair.
“Wilks…” Cat whispered, her face tense, eyes brimming with tears.
Seeing Cat’s anguish, CJ spoke calmly. “I got it.” He wrapped Wilks’ frozen body in an equipment cover and strapped it to a cargobot. He programmed the autopilot to fly into a nearby sun and set the remote to standby.