Jethro Goes to War (Wandering Engineer Jethro's tale)

by Hechtl, Chris

  “Do you have any idea how many it would take?” she demanded shaking her head.

  “No ma'am. But if we had a um, big place for them we could collect power. Maybe on the outside of the station? It has a lot of surface area after all. You wont be able to make enough power for weapons and stuff, but maybe life support? We can make as many as we need right?”

  “So?”

  “I'm not an engineer ma'am but can't we beam some of the energy to where we need it?”

  “That won't work on a ship,” she said, eyes going half lidded and then moving back and forth rapidly.

  “No ma'am, but it will work on the station. If we had them near the sun they could beam energy to where we need it. Like the yard or San Diego,” he replied feeling more than a little nervous. Perhaps the gunny was right, when around an officer it was best to keep one's trap shut. He was in the thick of it though and the only way out he could see was through.

  “Ma'am some progress is better than no progress. Keep moving forward. Don't bunch up and don't fall back. It's not in our nature.”

  She stared at him for a moment. He tried not to fidget as he went instinctively to attention.

  “You know, I didn't think of that. I don't think anyone did. We've been too busy feeling sorry for ourselves to think of that,” she shook herself and then smiled a little.

  “Gunny taught us there is a solution to every problem ma'am. You just need to find it. If high tech doesn't work, try a work around for now. If that doesn't work, make it fit. Think outside the box. It wont be pretty but if it works it works.”

  “Gunny huh? I'll have to remember that. Good job. I shot dad an e-mail with your proposal. We'll see what we can do,” she nodded and tugged on her jacket hem.

  He was surprised and a little embarrassed but kept his mouth shut. Suddenly she grinned.

  “Dad just got back to me. He's turning the air blue cause he didn't think of it sooner. Admiral Irons had been working on a plasma tap to make antimatter, we can use the support structure for that. Good job. We'll see if we can plug some of the other holes this way.”

  “Yes ma'am.”

  “Good job,” she said again. She patted his shoulder nodded again and went inside. He felt a bit of a glow at that.

  ...*...*...*...*...

  “Think we'll get off this chicken shit detail sometime this century?” Sergei griped trying not to itch. Armor was great, but when you've got fur, it made you want to scratch. A lot. He wasn't sure why the hell they needed to wear unpowered armor holding up a bulkhead babysitting officers. It's not like they needed someone to hold their hands after all. Then again...

  “Guarding the old lady is not a chicken shit detail,” Jethro sighed. “Sergei...” The hatch opened suddenly and he shut up.

  “Old lady?” the captain demanded coming out, scowling fiercely, hands on her hips.

  Sergei looked at Jethro then nodded to him when the captain looked his way. She turned her attention on the panther.

  “Old lady?” she asked again. He winced and braced to attention. She came closer. He tried not to breath to deep, she was wearing lavender perfume. He hoped his eyes wouldn't start watering. That was the last thing he needed. He willed his sinuses shut.

  “Well?” she said, practically nose to nose to him. He kept his eyes locked on the bulkhead ten centimeters above her head. “You've got something to say marine?”

  “No offense intended ma'am,” Jethro said quietly. Sergei snickered softly. She shot him a look and then went over to him and glared balefully. He shot to attention and gulped after a moment.

  “Captain, um...” the XO said in the hatchway. “I believe we've got an inspection tour to prep for?”

  “Coming,” she glared again at both marines. “I am not old. Pass that around,” she growled and marched back inside.

  Sergei gushed a sigh in a deep exhale, slumping slightly. Jethro just shook his head.

  On the other side of the hatch Mayweather smiled slightly, eyes dancing at the XO. Shelby shook her head. “Toying with the marines again?”

  “It's a dirty job, but it does have some perks,” Mayweather said with a small smile.

  “I see that,” Shelby said chuckling softly. “Unfortunately you enjoy it too much.”

  “It's why they pay me the big bucks,” Mayweather said sitting in her chair.

  “And why they bury me in paperwork,” Shelby said, lips twisting in a sardonic frown as she sat again.

  “Well, you asked for it.”

  “You know, technically I still out rank you. By date of rank at least,” Shelby growled. “We could always swap places. It'd be a learning experience.” Mayweather shot her a look and then snorted.

  “Not on your life,” Mayweather said shaking her head. “Not on my worst day.”

  “Spoil sport,” Shelby chuckled, eyes dancing. “I give it another nanosecond before that's all over the ship you know. You did that with a crewman down the access hatchway in full view and earshot.” She watched Mayweather smirk. “Which was your intent all along. A little social engineering skipper?”

  Mayweather noted the nickname but didn't call her on it. It was a hell of a lot better than old lady after all. “I prefer that any day over old lady,” Mayweather growled. “I am not now nor will I ever be old,” Mayweather said firmly. Shelby grinned.

  “Okay, I'll see that it gets passed around as well. Now, we usually start in the bow and work our way back for the weekly inspection but you mentioned wanting to shake things up? Catch a few people napping? How about...”

  ...*...*...*...*...

  “Heard you had an interesting day with the XO and the skipper?” Hurranna burbled a laugh coming into the troop bay.

  “Don't start,” Jethro growled, turning over so he could see the tablet better. He wasn't sure why some of the humans called it a padd. Odd name. Tablet too. He scrolled to the next article and then felt a bump.

  “What?” He growled looking up to see Hurranna looking over him.

  “What'cha got there?” she asked, snatching it out of his hand.

  “Hey! I was reading that!”

  “Right, you were. Now I am,” she said staying out of arms reach easily. She rapidly scanned the tablet screen as he reached for her, almost falling out of his rack.

  “What the hell! Give it back, what are you, four?”

  “You both sound like it,” Sergei growled from his rack nearby. “And if you don't shut up soon, I'll have to play pappa and come tan your ass.”

  “You and what army fuzz for brains,” Hurranna said playfully, still reading and keeping the tablet out of reach.

  “You know you can download it yourself, or get it over your implants,” Jethro said exasperated.

  “So could you,” she retorted. “Besides, what fun is that?” she asked smiling sweetly and waving the tablet. He growled giving in.

  “The news? You?”

  “It's... I'm... Look, I'm practicing my reading skills okay?”

  “Yeah okay,” she shook her head. She knew better than to tease him about his skills in that department. “Vulcan?”

  “The factory ship. It's actually Hephaestus. Thirty three, or something.”

  “Okay, and that means?”

  “The same thing,” Sergei sighed. “Vulcan is the name of the AI. I just did a search and it seems the Hephaestus thing is the same thing. One's Greek, one's Roman. Whatever they are.”

  “Okay, and that helps us because?” she asked patiently.

  “I was looking up the factory ship specs. I wanted to know how they can make stuff with the Admiral gone,” he said reaching out suddenly and snatching the tablet out of her hands.

  “Oh,” she blinked in thought. “Uhm...”

  “When the Admiral left we were left high and dry remember?”

  “Yeah I remember that!” she said testily.

  “Well, I was curios where the factory ship was getting it's parts from.”

  “And?” she asked patiently.

  �
�And it seems the Admiral in his foresight went and stockpiled the ship with parts he had to be on hand to make. Reactor parts, computer core parts, stuff like that. Generic designs that can be retrofitted for any power plant, or put together into a plant if needed.”

  “Oh,” she blinked again, trying to figure out what he meant.

  “It mean's they aren't building parts, they are just using what they have on hand and putting the pieces together. When they are gone they are gone.”

  “Ohhhh,” she said, suddenly understanding and not liking it. She sighed, shaking her head. “Okay, that sucks.”

  “Exactly.”

  “So why are they out there?”

  “To do what they can with what they have. Priority basis. And they can still make life support stuff.”

  “And solar panels. Not that they are much use that far out,” Sergei cut in. They looked over to the white Liger. He waved his own tablet. “I just finished reading the article myself. Did you read the one about the committee?”

  “Uhm?”

  “Investigation committee,” Sergei said getting up and handing his tablet to the lynx. He turned as she glanced at it and pulled his running shoes out of his foot locker.

  “No...” Jethro scrolled down and found the article. He started reading it. Hurranna snorted. They looked at her. She was still looking down, shaking her head.

  “Those bastards,” she growled, lips wrinkling in a half snarl. “Oh, you've got to love crap like that,” she said looking up to them. “The entire incident was a regrettable misunderstanding. Given the circumstances and lack of evidence they are willing to...” she looked at the tablet again. “Ah, let bygones be bygones, what ever the hell that means, and the Admiral can come back.”

  “Exactly. They want to smooth everything over like it never happened and everyone is one big happy family. No harm, no foul. Bastards,” Jethro growled, reading it himself. “What are you doing?” He asked looking at the Liger.

  “What does it look like?” Sergei asked, not looking up as he strapped his shoes on.

  “Run?”

  “Work out. I need to get some aggression out.”

  “Ah.”

  “Besides, I don't think I can eat. I've got a nasty taste in my mouth after reading that.”

  “Yeah me too. I'll join you,” Jethro said pulling his foot locker open.

  “Me too,” Hurranna said going to her rack.

  “Just don't get too pooped. Remember, we've got the exercises tomorrow.” Ox rumbled from across the room.

  “Oh yeah!” Sergei said giving Jethro a feral smile. On the Liger it was scary for the uninitiated.

  “Don't get your hopes up bub,” Jethro laughed.

  “We'll see. We'll see.”

  ...*...*...*...*...

  “He's in there,” Hurranna said quietly, pointing. She looked back to the others. Seven against one. The odds hardly seemed fair. For them. Jethro had that damn suit. She knelt near the hatch, checking it carefully for booby traps. You could never be too careful in these situations. The last thing they needed to do was be sloppy.

  Sergei and Betty stacked up behind her, ready to move on her all clear. The others were on either side of the corridor corners, ready to move as soon as they cleared the hatch.

  “Wish we could blow the hatch in,” Sergei muttered. “Or blow a hole through a bulkhead. Going through a door is nuts.”

  “Can't,” Hurranna grunted. “This is a training op remember? Firefly would be a little put out about things like that.” She picked the lock and then flattened herself against the hinge side of the hatch.

  “You sure he's in there?”

  “This is a dead end. Only place for him to go with any sort of cover,” Hurranna said.

  “You're sure?” Betty asked again.

  “No,” Hurranna grimaced. “Gotta go with what we've got. He's probably cloaked. Watch for traps. He'll either flank us or pop up.”

  “Yeah we know. We were there remember?” Chirby said over the link. This was their third exercise of the day. Jethro had taken four to one odds in the first, then seven to one in the second and still beat them. Now it was time for a little payback.

  “Go,” Hurranna said, touching the door key. The door swung open. The bay was dark inside. Stygian dark. That was fine, they had their implants and suit sensors after all. Sergei shouldered the hatch aside and then rolled. He was so large he was taking center stage.

  Betty was on his left flank, Hurranna on his right. They swept the boat bay, eying the shuttle and work pods in the center of the bay. Crates were along one wall. There was just enough room for someone to be there.

  They took their time, going in at a crouch as the team followed in a delta formation. Chirby exchanged places with Hurranna, practically bouncing. His eye stalks moved around in front. Asazi was on Betty's side, carefully scanning every centimeter of her sector. Hurranna dropped to the deck, startling Ox for a moment. He looked down to see the Lynx carefully scan under the shuttle then get up and shake her head. Miles acted as rear guard, dogged the hatch behind them to be sure the slippery panther wouldn't get out.

  “Damn it. He's got to be in here somewhere...”

  Jethro hid a smile as he watched from above and behind them. He tapped his implants and sent the signal and then disconnected the clear fiber optic line. The line transmitted his light signal to a remote transceiver ten meters away. Two seconds later it sent out a pulse.

  “Signal detected,” Ox said freezing right arm up balled in a fist. He crouched as the team froze. “He's in here, I just got a burst. From...” He turned to the transceiver just as the gun at their front opened up.

  “He's in front!” Sergei snarled diving to the deck. Flash bangs went off and the bay filled with smoke and tinsel.

  “He's clouding our sensors,” Ox rumbled, twisting back and forth. He grunted in surprise as Jethro landed on him. The one ton armor threw him off balance. He swayed back and forth for a moment, hands out for balance.

  “Bang you're dead.” Jethro tapped the harness then leapt off. He slammed into Asazi, hitting her while spreading his arms apart to target Sergei and Chirby. “Bang bang.” He rolled, firing onto Asazi as she tried to recover. Her suit locked up.

  He reactivated his cloak and rolled under the shuttle as the remaining team reacted. “He's going under! He'll come out the other side!” Hurranna growled. “Got you now...”

  She leapt on top of the shuttle. As her feet touched down she triggered the platter sized anti-armor mine there. It flew up and went off. She went down in a shower of sparks and curses. Her suit fell bonelessly off the shuttle to the deck.

  Jethro hadn't gone out the other side, he'd immediately changed direction the moment he was under cover, pushing himself backward with his arms so he came back out feet first. He took cover behind Ox's locked down armor as Miles and Betty moved to circle around the shuttle. He rose up and targeted them with his wrist weapons. “And bang bang, that's game,” he said, smugly smiling.

  “Ah shit!” Miles snarled, turning as the panther decloaked. “How the hell..”

  “Practice,” Sergei rumbled rolling over. “Damn I feel like one of those turtle things,” he growled. He glared at the team.

  The fans kicked into high gear to suck out the smoke and airborne debris. “Seriously, where were you?” Hurranna growled getting up and checking herself over. He smiled slyly. “Inquiring minds want to know,” she said, hands on her hips.

  “Wouldn't you like to know?” the panther teased as Hurranna sat on the edge of the shuttle's wing. “I was up high. I'll tell you that much. I don't want to give away all my secrets.”

  “Yeah. I know. I felt it when you landed on me,” Ox said getting onto his hoofs once more then looking around. He walked over to the paper thin translucent transceiver and touched it, then traced the fiber optic wire coming out of it. “Up there. I see.” The Tauren pointed to the spot above the hatch.

  “Ah,” Hurranna nodded. She jumped down and slapped M
iles with the back of her hand. He looked down at her. “See, I told you I should have gone through the vent.”

  “Did not. Besides, if you had you wouldn't have made it. Not in the armor. Too big remember?”

  “Yeah, but I could have taken it off you know,” She growled shaking her head. Her suit helmet dialed back as the smoke cleared. “Sneaky.”

  “You wouldn't have gotten me,” Jethro said smiling. “I kept to this side of the bay, out of range of anyone in the air ducts. Besides,” he climbed up the wall and pulled a device off the duct. “If you had, you would have regretted it. Briefly.” He put the pin back into the disarm cylinder carefully and then pulled the training claymore off and tossed it down to Ox.

  “Ah. Covered all the bases.”

  “Prior planning prevents piss poor performance. Remember?” Jethro grinned. “That was why I used a stand off transceiver with a time delay. I picked up that idea in sniper school. I knew Ox would home in on any transmissions. I set my gun up on a tripod to run on remote. When he zeroed in on my transmission he turned the wrong way. It opened a window of opportunity for me to exploit. I did,” he said with a ear flick and shrug.

  “So, up against someone in a suit like yours, in this situation, what would you have done?”

  “Me?” Jethro asked, cleaning up his gear. He coiled the hair thin fiber optic cables and then stored them in the pouch built into his thigh armor. He thought for a second then shrugged mentally. “I'd have had a crew out on the hull. I would've locked the bay down and vented it. Opened the doors and let him go Dutchman.” He shrugged. “If he didn't get blown out so they could hit him, then come in through the bay doors and sweep the bay that way. From the least expected place.”

  “Goodie, next time I think we'll try that,” Hurranna said grinning. His ears flicked.

  “What makes you think I don't have a plan to deal with that?” he asked laughing. Her face fell into a grimace.

  “Knowing you...”

  “Actually. I would have filled the chamber with gas and opened the bay doors as it was ignited,” Firefly replied. “Or filled the bay with firefighting foam or some other material like riot foam that would have eliminated his cloaking ability, forced him into a smaller and smaller containment area, or immobilized him.”