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

by Hechtl, Chris

  “Yeah, you should, you taught me,” the medic teased, cracking a smile. A crowd was growing around them. The medic looked over to the three marines. “Damn,” his eyes widened a little at the sight of them.

  “She okay?” Hurranna asked pointing to the woman.

  “Yeah,” The medic nodded. “Shelly's a hard one. She's just out.”

  “Huh,” Sid said shaking his head. “Slept through it all. Snored,” he winced. “Now you know why I'm awake first. She could sleep through a bomb blast and not so much as twitch.”

  The crowd snickered and chuckled at that. A few near him reached out and patted him on the shoulder or back. He eyed the marines. “I owe you. We both do.”

  “Just doing our job sir,” Jethro said nodding politely.

  “Which we've got to get back to,” Sergei said yawning. “Sorry.” he mumbled. “Can we top off our suits and sled? We've got to get back to Cinder. They may need us.”

  “Ah, yeah,” Jen said coming over to them. “On the house,” she smiled. She turned to Jed. “The sled...”

  “Already on it. I got Bick and Garth to go over it and refuel it.”

  “Thanks. The spare oxy is out as well. We were on fumes,” Sergei said shaking his head.

  “You made it. That's the important thing,” Jen said nodding as the crowd parted to let the hover pallet move off to sickbay. “Why don't we fix you up with some grub while they top your suits off and get your sled refueled. Shouldn't take more than a half hour to an hour.”

  “Thanks,” Jethro stretched. His ears flicked. “I think we'll take you up on that.” He nodded to the others who nodded back.

  ...*...*...*...*...

  “He's here,” Hurranna said over their link.

  Jethro blinked. “Who?” he asked after a moment.

  “Him. One of the guys on the wanted list. Bastard who works for the speaker,” Hurranna growled. Her eyes were narrowed and the pupils were tight slits.

  “You're sure?” he asked after a moment, trying hard not to react.

  “Sure as I'm standing here,” she growled.

  “Okay okay, send me a link,” Jethro said. He closed his eyes as she fed him a still. A head was circled in the crowd.

  “The boys were right.”

  “Yeah,” Jethro nodded sitting back. Casually he looked around, picking at his teeth with a plastic toothpick. “And they were right about her,” he said freezing. He snapped his eyes in a fast blink then pulled up an image. He focused on the hooded female with the male and zoomed in. It was a three quarter profile, and she had dyed her hair, but he was pretty sure it was her. He pulled up a facial recognition program, loaded that face and her wanted image and compared the two. It was a ninety percent match.

  “Yup. It's her,” Sergei rumbled after Jethro shunted the results to both of them. “Think we should arrest them or something? Maybe...”

  “No. No we don't do a thing. It's for higher to sort out,” Hurranna said urgently. “We've got a mission.”

  Jed came in and waved. They nodded. The bar had been busy, people were coming in and either offering to buy the marines drinks or swapping close call stories. The group had been hard pressed to accept while staying sober enough to go back out. The last thing they needed was to be drunk on duty. In space. Not a pretty thing to think about.

  Fortunately the bartender had understood and was swapping their drinks for something non alcoholic. She made a killing and they saved face with the nice people here.

  “All set,” Jed said nodding. “All fueled up and ready to rock.”

  “Thanks.” Jethro nodded as he got up. The others followed suit. “We've got to get back there folks.” He waved to the crowd and then they moved off.

  Chapter 20

  Jethro climbed onto the sled and checked the controls. “Sierra one five to Sierra six, leaving Bar S now.”

  He waited a moment, checking the sled's systems. He tapped the tank readings to make sure they were right. He had them on his HUD as well, but it never failed to double check.

  Sleds were little more than a rocket with inertial dampeners, saddle, and handlebars to hang onto. Fun as it seemed to ride them, it wasn't a picnic going long distances on them. Of course belters used them anyway.

  “Hang on Sierra one five,” the Lieutenant's voice called over the radio link a moment later. “Wait for pick up by Firefly there. We've got the situation under control here.”

  “Sir...”

  “That's an order. Consider it a two day pass for a job well done you lucky dog,” The lieutenant said.

  “I'm a cat sir.”

  “Whatever. Just enjoy it while it lasts,” the lieutenant said. “Higher wants you to stay put since we've gotten things here. Go enjoy yourselves. Sierra six out.”

  “Yes sir. Sierra one five out,” Jethro said turning as he got off the sled.

  “Something wrong?” Sergei asked. Jethro shrugged a little.

  “Brass wants us to wait here for pick up by Firefly. Consider it a two day pass they said.”

  “Oh. Can't argue with that,” Sergei shrugged. “I don't mind the idea of getting out of this monkey suit.”

  “Me too. I want to check out that woman...” Hurranna growled.

  “Can it. No we're going to keep it clean. I'll pass it on to higher later. First round is on me.”

  “I'm for that!” Sergei said, moving to the lock.

  ...*...*...*...*...

  “What the hell are they doing back?” the man growled to the speaker as she winced and sipped at her drink. The Neo's made their way back into the bar, spoke with the bartender who shrugged and set them up with drinks again.

  “Settle down. They are patrons like everyone else,” she said. She looked around casually and then turned her eyes to the vid screen in the corner. A football match was currently playing there.

  “I don't like it. We should leave. We should never have pissed the military off. Nothing has gone as you said it would.”

  “Just because we've hit a snag... okay, I admit, things have gone a little bumpier than I'd planned.” She had to finally admit that. She had planned on removing the obstacle the Admiral had presented, but hadn't foreseen the depth of the can of worms it would open up.

  She cursed herself in the back of her mind once more. She hadn't taken into account the possibility that Irons would get word out to others. Or how the two stories would tear the government apart. How when it was revealed that Irons was the only one with the key codes to make replicators... How that news had torn her little cabal of conspirators apart.

  Jethro grimaced. He had caught onto the couple early on. Now that he knew who to look for he had their scent localized. By focusing his audio implants he could pick their conversation out of the babble of voices around them.

  “What the hell are we going to do? You said you could get the navy to heel! When that idiot failed and then that panther failed to kill their leaders...”

  “Shut up Max,” the woman said tightly, through gritted teeth. She rubbed her hands on the table. “Don't worry. It's going to blow over eventually. If not now, then soon. And if it doesn't, we can always change our appearance and leave the system.”

  “Why don't we do that now?”

  “Because we can't. That's why. Destiny is gone. That other ship the seven seven nine wont leave for another four or five months.”

  “Yeah, that's another thing. You get rid of the Admiral and even sabotage the ship he was leaving on. Why?”

  “I don't like loose ends,” the woman said softly. “And he was a loose end. One I am regretting ever tying off now,” she admitted and then sighed. Jethro tried hard not to turn and snarl at that one. It wasn't easy though.

  “When the navy finds out...”

  “It will be an unfortunate accident. Rushed out of dock too fast apparently. Or she ran into more pirates. Who knows. Space is vast you know, a lot of bad things can happen in the dark. They will only have speculation to go off. And speculation doesn't lead to evidence.
There isn't any. I had you take care of that remember?”

  “Those girls who did the programming and the team that installed the virus? Yeah, I remember.”

  Jethro's claws clenched onto the table.

  “They can't touch us. Any attempt and it will tear the government apart. And until they see reason and drop the charges we will keep the government tied up in knots and the money for the navy all tied up in red tape as well. Nothing will get done. When they realize how badly they screwed everything up, how much they need us to get stuff done, they'll beg for us to come back,” the woman smiled and ran a hand through her bangs.

  “And when we do come back?” the man said shaking his head. “You honestly think it will be that simple?”

  “No. Of course not. But eventually, someone will see reason and negotiate. We just have to be calm and keep low until then. These hicks are a pain, but as long as we hide out here in the stix with them, we'll be fine. Firefly won't send in the marines. They wouldn't dare,” she smiled.

  “You think it will be that simple?” he asked. “The marines are here now you know. And they are kind of popular.”

  “Max, Max. Don't start doubting me now. Be a good boy and go check with the others. We've got a meeting later tonight. We're going to leave here just as soon as Firefly isn't near.”

  The man and woman got up and left separately. Hurranna bumped into the guy as she came back from the bathroom.

  “It's him,” she snarled. “I know it.” She shook her head.

  “Yeah,” Jethro sighed. “I know.”

  “Someone really has to do something.”

  “Yeah,” he breathed, nostrils flaring. “Yeah.”

  “Hey dumb ass, what're you lazy punks doing here?” a voice snarled behind him. He turned as a meaty hand grabbed his shoulder. He tried not to inhale too deeply, the guy smelled like he had bathed in moonshine.

  “I'm talkin to you. Moreau trash,” the man snarled and then spat in Jethro's face.

  “I don't have any problem with you,” Jethro said, shrugging the guy's hand off and getting his rage under control with difficulty. “Leave it that way,” he growled. He let some of his rage deepen his voice.

  “Well, I got me a problem with you dumb pussy.” The man turned grinned at someone behind him then threw a punch. Jethro dodged but it clipped him on the ear. Banked anger soared. He grabbed the man's arm and tossed him over his shoulder and into the bar behind him.

  Fists came at him from several directions. He let some hit his arms while deflecting those aimed for his abdomen and head. Hurranna snarled as someone picked her up and hurled her across the room. She clipped a ceiling fan and then fell into a mess of tables and bodies. A riot broke out as the people she fell on suddenly started throwing punches and kicks.

  “This is fun!” Sergei snarled coming in from the open door. He roared as a bottle smashed into his nose. The violence suddenly abated as stunned people stared at the angry white Liger holding his bleeding nose.

  “Who threw that?!?” he snarled. One man holding another with a fist cocked pointed with his index finger to the guy he was holding. “He's mine,” the Liger roared, teeth bared. He dropped into a crouch and flexed his claws. His lips rippled in a snarl. The man's eyes widened and then rolled back as he fainted.

  “I think the fights about over,” Jethro growled. A few people looked at him as he snarled. “Right?” he asked, flexing his own claws.

  “Speak for yourself. I want someone's ass, and not in a good way,” Hurranna said, getting up and nursing an arm. “Damn that hurt.”

  “It's over,” Jen said from the door. “Right?” she demanded. One by one, those holding others let them slip to the floor. They held their hands up shook their heads and then filed out, some looking sheepish.

  “How'd this start?” the sheriff asked, coming in and stepping up to the bar. She turned, looking down at the barkeep hiding under the bar. “You wanna pour me a stiff one Jesse? I think it's going to be one of those days,” she said. The blue haired bartender looked up from under the bar she had been hiding under and nodded fast.

  “Drunks ma'am,” Jethro said, toeing one of the guys. “This one and one behind the bar decided to throw some punches. I got clipped and reacted.”

  “Ah,” Jen took the shot glass from the bartender and knocked it back. “Where's your security Jesse?”

  “Off shift,” the bartender muttered.

  “Well, you can clean up this mess then. Send them to the drunk tank if they give you any lip. You marines best go to your quarters and stay there.”

  “Yes ma'am,” Jethro nodded, nursing a shoulder.

  “Sore?”

  “Nothing we can't handle ma'am. We've had worse in boot.”

  “Right then, off with you.” She waved to the door. Sheepishly they left.

  “Well, that was fun,” Hurranna said dryly. “What do we do for an encore?” she asked.

  “Hmmm.”

  “Shit,” she sighed. “Me and my big mouth.”

  ...*...*...*...*...

  Jethro waited until the others were asleep before he acted. He silently slipped out of the room and then made his way down the corridor to the main concourse. He sniffed, closing his eyes and cataloging the smells around him. As he walked he kept his nose high, trying to pick up the scent. After a while, he caught the scent of the woman's perfume.

  He knew they'd want to be in on this, but he honestly didn't want them to be. He for one wasn't sure what he was going to do just yet, and besides, he didn't want them covered in pucky if anything went down.

  “Gotcha,” he muttered, tracking the scent. It led deeper into the colony. Sticking to the trail he followed.

  He made it to a corner and smelled other bodies. Some were in dire need of a wash. When he heard voices he froze, then fell into the shadows, pulling the velcro tabs on his BDU's. In a moment he was bare. He went into cloak and then crept forward.

  “I'm telling you, this is a bad idea. Screwing with those marines... Damn it, what were you thinking?”

  “He wasn't. Max, I told you not to grow a brain without checking with me first. Go fix it.”

  “I can't,” the other man's voice said sounding a bit like a self serving whine. “I can't get near it. There is some sort of party going around. Someone will see me.”

  “And they didn't see you tampering with the marine's sled?” the female demanded.

  “I don't think so.”

  “You don't think so,” she sighed. “Sometimes, honestly, you don't seem to think at all.” She shook her head. Jethro watched her through slitted eyes. There were five people in the room with her. All were males. One was the male Max from the bar. He was either a body guard or a lieutenant. Or both.

  “So what are we going to do?”

  “Well, we can't leave until the next shuttle comes around. Which won’t be for another twenty seven hours.”

  “Those marines leave in the morning boss.”

  “I know that,” she replied testy. “Honestly,” she sighed patiently shaking her head. “What possessed you to do something this stupid? Whatever happened to a low profile?”

  “They were snooping around. I'm sure of it.”

  “They are on a rescue mission. I checked with the gossip mill. It's true. I even talked with the Cartwright’s and the latest catch they brought in.”

  “Yeah, aren't you glad I talked you out of Cinder now?” Max said, face earnest.

  “Yes. You did good there. But this...”

  “They won't trace it to me. I just undid the wires holding the safety valve. When they turn it on and rev the sled up it'll snap the wires and they will be off on a Dutchman. It'll go faster than they can handle and black out.”

  “And if the ship hears them?”

  “Then it will divert to get them right?”

  “Or it will send a shuttle,” another man said.

  “Oh. I... ah, forgot about that,” Max said blushing.

  “Yes. And of course there will be an
investigation if their sled is found.”

  “I was careful. I made it look like it abraded. Do give me some credit. I've done stuff like this before.”

  “Not careful enough,” the speaker grumbled.

  “My sentiments exactly,” Jethro growled.

  She looked up in alarm as the men around her pulled weapons. “Who's there?”

  “Your worst nightmare. Poetic Justice.”

  “We ready to go?” Sergei asked Hurranna the next morning. She turned. “Where were you?” the Liger asked as Jethro came up to them toweling himself off.

  “Cleaning. Let's go,” he said. He knew better than to say anything and he'd been careful to clean up the evidence. He tossed the towel to the hamper. Hurranna stared at him and then glanced the Liger. She shrugged just as he did, then smiled.

  “If you’re sure.”

  “I'm sure. We need to check the sled before we use it. A little birdie told me there is something wrong with the wiring.”

  “Oh?” Sergei asked, stopping and turning to him.

  “Yeah.”

  “Oh.”

  ...*...*...*...*...

  Sure enough, when they got to the sled a quick inspection found the cut lines. Sergei muttered as Hurranna used her tiny hands to run a new braided control wire.

  “How the hell...”

  “Like I said.”

  “It was no accident is what he said,” Hurranna replied. “I thought something was up. Let’s get going before something else happens.”

  Chapter 21

  As they entered Firefly's lock Jethro froze at the looks two marines with MP bands on their arms shot his way. “Something we should know about?” Hurranna asked, looking from the panther to the military police.

  “Not that I'm aware of,” one MP said. “You three are to be detained. Come with us please,” he pointed to the door as his partner relieved them of their weapons.

  “Sure. Private Shep right?” Sergei asked, taking his helmet off. He glanced at the Neo shepard mix. It was a bit of a stereotype to have a shepard as a cop, but apparently someone had either a twisted sense of humor or didn't care.