“I guarantee it,” Jaswinder said with total conviction.
Johannes clapped his hands together. “See? Now, this young girl,” he indicated the station around him, “won’t move fast, but we’ll get her where she’s going, safe and sound.”
Matt took a look around him, then smiled. “It’s your office now, Johannes.”
“Excellent. Let me walk you to the shuttle.”
They stepped out of the office to see Hank Lowe waiting.
“Hank, give Renata a call. Tell her that her shuttle requires its pilot.”
Hank shook Matt’s hand. “I’ll see you soon.”
Jaswinder took Matt’s left arm, while Johannes walked on his right. “You’ve done a good job here, Brother. Everything’s going smooth. We’ll keep it that way.”
Matt gave him a sideways look. “Just how badly did you tick off the Paxtons?”
Johannes laughed. “I left a one-hundred-year-old bottle of single malt Scotch on the shuttle. Perhaps you should open it when you speak to Fred. Have a few belts each before you bring up my name.”
Matt laughed. “That bad?”
“What can I say, he’s an excitable man.”
They met Ellen in the landing bay. She saw to the stowing of their possessions while Hank Lowe, who had caught up with them, took Matt inside and got him ready for launch.
“I don’t know how you did it, Johannes, but bless you,” Ellen told him, giving him a ferocious hug.
“Take care of him. He’s the only brother I have.”
She laughed. “The only husband I have.”
Johannes patted her shoulder. “You can always get another. Must be thousands of potentials hanging around. Brothers, though, they’re in short supply. Takes ages to grow a good one, and I don’t think I have ages left.”
“He looks better already.”
“Keep him that way. You’ve a long trip ahead of you, and not much to do on the other side, despite what I told Matt. But we’re going to need him. Not like we’ve needed him these last couple of years, but we’ll need him nonetheless. However, I’m here, and the others have grown a lot through this difficulty. I know Bettina has. So, he’ll never have that much weight to bear alone again.”
“I hope not.”
Jaswinder put her arms around Ellen, and gave her a long hug. “We’ll see you soon, Sister.”
“Just make sure you do.”
Hank reappeared. “Time to go. Renata is champing at the bit.”
After Ellen had disappeared into the shuttle, the others left the bay. They heard the pumps evacuating the air even as the airlock closed behind them.
Hank peeled off to do whatever he had interrupted to see Matt off, saying only, “You did good work there, Johannes.”
Jaswinder agreed. “You did do good work, Johannes. Now, tell me the truth, just how ‘pissed off’ as you put it, is Fred Paxton? What will Matt face at the other end?”
“Fred? Don’t know that he’s pissed off at all. Yes, I ruffled some feathers, but it’s pretty calm as far as that goes. And anything that arises in the Paxton camp because of my foray, well Jill will quash it – if she hasn’t already.”
“Jill?”
“We may never be friends, but working on that mission made us, as she puts it, comrades. She knows I only did what needed doing. She agrees with it.”
He looked around him.
“Um, where are you leading me?”
“To our quarters.” She stopped, swung around, and hugged him as if she’d never let go. “I’ve missed you so much. So very much.”
His ‘but you never found time to call me’ died on his lips. He’d take what he could get, and so hugged her back. “I’ve missed you, too.”
Then it hit him: our quarters. Maybe they had a chance, after all.
“I thought you only interrupted your work so that we could get Matt out.”
She smiled at him, the smile warming his insides. “Everything can wait for an hour.”
He sighed. “Actually, it can’t. I believe we’re running on hours now, not days or weeks, and certainly not months. But I can give the order to get underway over the comm.”
“And after,” she said, putting an arm around his waist, and leaning against him as they walked, “you can bring me up to date on Owen. He came over from Venture, but I really didn’t have time to talk. He seemed excited about someone named Sharon. Family member, or otherhire?”
Johannes coughed. “Um, Major Sharon Temple, United States of North America Space Force. Military liaison to FTL-1.”
“Oh, my.”
“I’m afraid our boy has become a man.”
“Oh, my!”
“She’s not as old as her rank might suggest.” Johannes wondered how much he should tell, and decided with the truth as he saw it. “She planned to use him to get information about the Family and what we knew about the pirates, but I think he charmed her instead. She warned me to get him off the station, and to get both Owen and myself out of the system, ASAP. The Space Force is going to move against us – at least on FTL-1 – very, very soon.”
They reached the door.
“Tell me more,” Jaswinder said as she opened it. “Later.”
CHAPTER 27
FTL-1
Saturday 28 August
“What? Another one?”
Jill Paxton looked around the Flight Control Centre and scowled at everyone and everything. Fortunately, no one was looking back, and thus had no reason to get offended.
“Look, Carter,” she said, “I understand that Maintenance has its hands full; I understand that you’re run off your feet due to excessive usage of our shuttles, but I need five flying.”
The voice on the other end – no vid as the head flight mechanic had himself buried in the internals of a shuttle engine – sounded aggrieved.
“Five? You’ll be lucky to have three by the end of the day. I absolutely forbid anyone to take out Shuttle-6 until I’ve had a good look at her engines. I’m hip deep in Shuttle-2’s engine, and my people – those left – haven’t had a proper sleep period in a week. Tired people work more slowly, make more mistakes.”
Jill smiled grimly. “Who has had a proper sleep? Now, listen up. I need one shuttle on standby. It doesn’t have to be airworthy. No atmospherics for it. I just need her able to kick off at a moment’s notice with a full complement of passengers.”
She could hear the weary cynicism in Carter’s voice as he replied, “What VIPs this time?”
“You.”
“Me?”
“You and your people. We might need to evacuate at any time, and I want what’s left of your department on that shuttle, and over to Sendai Maru within fifteen minutes of me giving you the heads-up.”
“Fifteen minutes!” Carter sputtered.
Jill stared at the blank wall, imaging the chaos of the maintenance department. “Yes, fifteen minutes. I send out the call, and you people drop everything, and get on that shuttle. I don’t care if that results in destroyed engines, ruined electronics – just consider it an abandon ship warning. Get your things together so you’ll be ready to move.”
“What’s happening up there?”
“Nothing good. At present, however, nothing worse than what we’ve seen over the last couple of weeks. Now, that shuttle, I’d like to get it back – which is why you’re going to Sendai Maru – but if she can’t take you, or anything else goes wrong, the pilot will take you to Venture or Haida Gwaii. That’ll mean I lose the shuttle for two days minimum – and that’s two days that I can’t use it to evacuate anyone else. As of now, though, your people have absolute priority.”
Jill heard a laugh.
“We’re VIPs?”
She grinned. “That’s right, Carter.”
“Does that include a raise in pay?”
“I’ll have to ask the Station Supervisor.”
“I thought you were Station Supervisor.”
“Only acting.”
“Then how about acting
on getting us that raise?” His jocular tone went serious, “But what about you, Jill?”
She didn’t want to even think about that. But he deserved an answer. “I may have to go down with the ship.”
“Jesus!” She heard nothing from the other end, and checked to make sure the circuit hadn’t disconnected. “Okay, Jill, you have your shuttle. She’s a little glitchy, but she’ll get us to Sendai Maru. And you’ll have your five shuttles. Can’t guarantee them for more than a couple of flights each, but you’ll have them in two hours.”
Jill breathed a sigh of relief. “Thanks Carter. I need to send two down to Earth as soon as they’re able to fly. The rest can wait a little.”
“Two? I can get you two ready to go within thirty minutes.”
“Wonderful. I’ll wake the pilots.”
* * *
“FTL Flight Control, Tannon’s Luck.”
“Tannon’s Luck, Flight Control. Go.”
“Walt Tannon here, Jill. We’re loaded to the gunnels, ready to leave station and head for the jump point.”
“Captain Tannon, good to hear your voice. You’re a go. See you on the other side.”
“Tannon’s Luck boosting now. Out.”
And that left just four other Family ships in-system. Sendai Maru and Maid Marion still floating nearby, Venture out near Haida Gwaii, and Twin Star, who should be approaching jump.
And to confirm that, she received a signal.
“FTL Flight Control, Twin Star. Jumping in two minutes.”
Twin Star carried Ellen and Matt Yrden, leaving Johannes in charge of getting Haida Gwaii on-line and ready to exit the system.
“Twin Star, Flight Control. Bon Voyage.”
Four Family ships in-system.
“Jill,” Al Treverston, the Traffic Control Officer, called to her.
“Yes, Al?”
“Put your head down. We should have no traffic incoming until your two shuttles pick up their passengers and head back up. We,” he indicated the others in the Centre, “can handle anything that comes up.”
She could use a nap.
“Thanks. I’ll go next door. Keep those workboats at it. I want Sendai Maru’s holds filled ASAP. Authorize bonuses to the longshoremen.”
“Is it that bad?”
“Every hour counts, Al. We may have days, but I’m counting only on hours.”
She lay down on the cot they’d set up next to the Centre, not even a bed like she, Johannes, and Helen White had taken turns on in their Operations Centre. Helen White would now be in hyperspace, in Twin Star. She wished the woman well. After she had calmed down, she made a good partner, and they had done well.
The two shuttles would bring the last two researcher families up – one from Lima, Peru, the other from San Francisco. The researchers and a last load of goods. Gods, but she would be happy to see the end of this – well the end of the rush, not a war.
A hand shook her shoulder just a minute after she’d gotten to sleep.
“Wha? What is it?” She felt sluggish.
“Your shuttles are coming in to dock.”
“Huh? Shuttles?”
“From Lima and San Francisco.”
She looked at her chrono, stunned that that much time had passed. “I needed that, I guess. Thanks for letting me sleep, but those shuttles don’t dock here. Send them to Sendai Maru.”
She climbed stiffly off the cot – not the most comfortable sleeping arrangement – and walked back to the Centre.
She glanced at the navigation tank, then stopped and studied it.
“What’s this?” she pointed at an icon heading in the direction of Haida Gwaii.
“Topside One Shuttle One – heading for the Moon colonies,” Al told her. He looked weary.
“And that one – seems to be following the other?”
“One of ours. Nakamura Shuttle Eight – going to Venture with a priority package.”
“And these two?”
“Out of USNA supply platform for–” Al took another look. “They’ve changed course. Looks like they’re heading here.”
“Shit. This may be it. Tell Sendai Maru to unload those shuttles ASAP, button up and get ready to leave on a moment’s notice.”
Her comm buzzed. She strode over to her station, put on her headphones, and answered. “Paxton.”
“Jill? Tim on the Concourse. Soldiers are on the move. Looks serious.”
“Thanks. You know what to do.”
She disconnected, and inputted another address even as she said, “Guys! This may be it. Soldiers on the move.”
It took almost a minute before she received an answer.
“Pierre? Jill on FTL-1. I think it’s going down. I’m going to send you a compressed burst every minute. If they’re coming here, hopefully they won’t notice. I disconnected the indicators. I’ll try to input the alarm if anything important comes up or if they make me leave the Centre.”
“Jill, what about my shuttles?”
“Going to send them down next. Sorry, but can only send three right now. They’ll go to the staging area. I hope that I can get a chance to refuel those unloading at Sendai Maru, and send them too. Don’t count on that. Gotta go.”
“Take care, cheri. Out.”
“Maintenance. Carter.”
“Get out. Sendai Maru.”
“Christ!”
Second last last call.
“Ready room, Paul.”
“Paul, it’s on. Operation Seed King. Two shuttles to staging area, third shuttle takes Maintenance to Sendai Maru, and then joins the other two – they’re all I have. Go now – emergency depart, do not wait for authorization.”
Paul swore, but disconnected.
One last call.
“Johannes here, what is it, Jill?” She heard tension in his voice.
“Mission complete, Johannes. I’ve also initiated Seed King. And I think I have confirmation on your son’s information. Looks like his friends are on the move. Gotta go.”
Al swore. “Jill, those two shuttles still on course for us. Icons read Space Force Alpha and Bravo. Just came on.”
“We may have to evacuate. If you can’t get to life-pods, head for the Catastrophe Core. If you meet soldiers, stay calm and obey their orders as long as they have you in sight.”
She turned back to the navigation tank, and watched the shuttles drawing closer. “Al, send the last two minutes of detector info to Haida Gwaii – then keep the data flowing.”
A minute later, the door swished open.
CHAPTER 28
FTL-1
Saturday Sunday 28/29 August
Major Temple closed the comm, then reactivated it, calling a local number. Captain Harrison’s face appeared.
“Ready for inspection?” she asked.
His face sharpened, and eyes lit. “Always ready.”
“I’ll meet you on the concourse. Five minutes. Don’t be late.”
“No, sir.”
The connection cut, the comm-screen went blank. The major opened a desk drawer, and pulled out her sidearm. “Milton,” she spoke into the intercom, “We move now.”
Together with all her staff, each wearing a pistol, Temple marched out to the concourse, where Harrison and his met her.
He saluted her, which she didn’t object to, returning it, sharp and clean. “Send five of yours with Captain Grenville to secure Dock 1.”
“Carson, pick four, and hoof it,” Harrison detailed one of his men.
Grenville led off at a quick pace, the others following him. Temple waited until he disappeared from sight.
“The rest of us for Control.” She looked at each of them in turn. “Minimum violence. Until we get a full crew aboard, we’ll require their help, and from what I’ve seen of the Families, violence will not cow them.”
Harrison gave her a quick look. “But if they resist?”
“We have no time for resistance, Captain.”
He produced his wolfish smile. “Lead on, sir.”
&nb
sp; Side-by-side, they marched to the lifts, went up three levels, and exited. A locked door, marked ‘authorized personnel only’, didn’t stand up to two beefy soldiers. Temple winced at the noise, but went through at double-time, followed by the rest.
Seeing weapons drawn, the few Family personnel they met, retreated back into their offices. Temple left people to guard them, to ensure they sent no warning ahead. The control room lay at the end of the hall, and Temple hoped none of those within would think that they were made of hero stuff.
“Jill,” a radio officer said to the dark-haired woman at the control console, “we have the two unscheduled shuttles inbound, requesting docking.”
“You will grant that,” Major Temple said, stepping into the room through the silently sliding door.
Everyone – that being the four people within – turned to see armed soldiers, weapons out.
“Please,” Temple said, “relax and put down whatever it is you are doing. Milton, take over comm.”
At that moment, the comm buzzed. Milton clicked it on. He turned to Temple with a smile on his face. “Dock 1 secured.”
“Excellent. Tell the shuttles to dock there.” She turned to the flight control officer. “Direct them in, please. And do so professionally, or you’ll hear screams from down the hall.”
Ashen-faced, the man – with permission from Milton – toggled the comm.
“Shuttles Alpha and Bravo, please change course as indicated.” He sent instructions via his board. “You’ll dock at bays one and two on Dock 1.”
Jill Paxton – Temple read the nametag on her shirt – didn’t look as shocked as the rest. Had Johannes Yrden warned her? Would she do something to try to blow the station? And if she did, would she wait until their reinforcements had arrived, or would she ensure they would find no place to dock?
“Everyone stay calm. We wish to hurt no one. However, USNA Space Force now controls FTL-1. You will be shipped off as soon as time permits.”
Not necessarily a lie, but not the truth either. She had no idea what Space Force would do. But a revolt at this time could only end disastrously for the station personnel. It wouldn’t help her people, either
Not With A Whimper: Preservers Page 29