Tramp Wars: The Enemy

by Larry Roberts

  “I said I am declaring an emergency and having you replaced. I would take that seriously if I were you. I don‘t appreciate the Captain using my class as an affirmative action experiment. There is a reason why the ship aborts the retarded and has no handicapped people on it. If you call the ship and request emergency medical relief because you are having problems with your eyes. With your glasses. Tell them they got dirty or scratched or something that disqualifies you to fly.”

  “Oh and why would I want to do that lady? Don't you think I want to see the stupid animals to?"

  “You said you had plans ah Mark is it? That way you can go do whatever the hell blind morons do. Oh I mean visually impaired… And I don’t have to worry about getting my students home in one peace… Oh and I won’t put you on report for insulting me and my students with your little shit theatrics.”

  “Oh really. You insult me every time you open your mouth and then get upset at me when I don’t act the way you expect and kiss your ass. Or is it because you are the one that is the closed minded retard.” Mark smiled getting a glint in his eyes as he looked at the time. Taking a deep breath, an idea was starting to coalesce. “Declare an emergency? You know teach. I think you just may have a good idea there. Fact is, I think you salved my problem for me.”

  Her red face went from starting to scream to smiling as she turned to fallow her students. “I will see you back on the ship Mark and we can talk. I think I can help you accept your disability better. Accept your place in life and the restrictions from things you just are not qualified or capable of doing.” Then left the bus with a satisfied smile. If she had her way Mark would be in a padded room under 24 hour care. Relegated to polishing floors or doing dishes for the rest of his life. For his own good. She was already planning on a campaign to make sure that happened. After all she was a highly educated enlightened Teacher that new what most people needed better than they did themselves. She was getting good at making enough noise to make sure other people did as she directed whether they wanted to or not. She could not wait until she was elected onto the Council to make it even easier to make the rest of the ship do what was good for them even if they did not agree with her or want to. Hell she already had the kids of her class demanding their parents do a whole list of things her way as she taught them what she knew they needed and how to think, whether their parents approved or not. The Council’s Education seat would make her able to demand the rest of the classes follow her guidelines and approved instructions. In time she could even become the president of the board and then even the Captain would have to answer to her. All for the stupid publics good.

  A sudden roar came from outside the bus. Jumping up Mark headed out the hatch almost bowling over the teacher and stepped away from the bus in time to watch some 12 sleek Battlecruisers clawing their way up from the Star Port that was over the horizon heading right over the City instead of East up into orbit. They were in a hurry headed straight for where ever the hell they were going and not even bothering to take an orbit first. Their combined engine blasts shaking the ground in a way he had never experienced before even with lifts from pits next to them; making his blood boil with excitement as most of the students and teachers staggered around plugging or covering their ears. The spectacle of a dozen huge ships launching presented a sight Mark watched in awe and wonder as they quickly broke the sound barrier sending a boom across the parking lot he could feel in his bones and their hulls started glowing bright from the heat of air friction leaving a wake of superheated plasma streaking back behind them.

  As soon as the racket started the youngest kids started to cry. The little girl Janet that had helped him earlier ran over to hug Mark as soon as he came out of the bus, crying as she tried to hold her ears and hide behind him at the same time until he picked her up in his arms sliding his forearm under her butt to hold her up then using his other hand over her hand to help shield her ear towered the blasting ships. Pressing her other hand over her ear against his cheek as they watched the show of huge ships together and the sound slowly subsided in the distance as the fleet crossed the sky leaving lengthening trails behind as the engines got more efficient the farther up the planet gravity well they climbed. Finely using both arms to hold her up as the ships slowly disappeared into bright points of light high in the sky and the sound subsided into the distance with the rising red sun over Mark’s shoulder. Their now long beam like tails almost too bright to look at reaching clear across the sky continued to make the heavens rumble long after the ships were obviously far out of the planet’s atmosphere.

  After the parking lot had quieted again Janet started talking excitedly about the launch slipping her arms around Marks neck as people around the lot talked about what had just happened. Finely winding down she placed her cheek against his and squeezed thanking him as Mrs. Hastings started yelling at him to get his molesting hands off of her. Mark smiled and turned his head towered her as he started to say," No problem." Bending his knees to set Janet down only to get a big wet kiss on his lips that sparked with a little shock as their lips met. Much surprised at the kiss and the nip from the static electricity that seemed to be flooding the air. All Mark could do was smile as he set Janet on her feet and let go just before she was dragged away by a huffy Mrs. Hastings screaming at her for daring to touch the pervert retard creep let alone kiss Mark. Her arms still around his neck dragging him along for a few feet before the teacher's slaps on the child’s arm and his face (skewing his glasses almost off), finely broke her hold leaving a red mark.

  Watching for a few seconds as the teacher Mrs. Hastings dragged her away with a torrent of disgusting threats as Janet kept looking over her shoulder trying to keep from crying as she rubbed her arm where Hasting’s had hit her, while smiling back at him waving good bye only to have her arm slapped again. Mark shook his head stoping himself from attempting to stop the abuse, confused and a little flattered that the little girl seemed to like him and his ugly glasses for some reason. Except that the teacher's louder than normal (as if she could not hear herself talking) words hurt even more than usual though he told himself he was used to it as he turned around sighing in despair as the continuing verbal abuse slowly faded in the distance.

  Jolene and Tom joined him as Janet and Mrs. Hastings disappeared into the Zoo's gate. "Godstar she is such a bitch." Jolene said as she noticed the tears welling up in the corners of Mark’s eyes as his face turned grim and looked up at the receding ships and the rainbow streaks across the still softly rumbling heavens.

  Mark looked at them and gave them a determined smiled. “Ok! Jolene, Tom, let’s go.” Mark croaked as he fought to keep control of his emotions and stop the emotions trying to lock up his throat cutting his breath short. Death would be better than this shit. God he was just so tired of it all the time. Climbing up and into the pilot's seat Mark sent an emergency medical flight plan change request to the ship.

  “Ok we are going back to the ship.” Tom said with relief. “But I am surprised you gave into the bitch after threatening you and what is this with a 9 year old giving you a lip lock.” Smiling from ear to ear.

  Jolleen knelt down between them. “Well at least you will miss that damn appointment. Believe me; it was a bad idea from the start and would probably have killed you. Actually it makes me sick just thinking about what you were thinking about doing." Looking back at the Zoo. "But can't we at least make a quick run through the Zoo before we go. After all that is why I came along."

  “Actually guys. We just have time to make it to the Doctor's office. The bitch just reminded me about flight regulations 101 class. I am still going to get my eyes cut out and replaced by bionic implants even if the attempt does blind or kill me. I have had it with being treated like a moronic monster. No one treats the Engineering Chief with disrespect ever and he has had his implants for 20 years.” Mark took a breath and exhaled as he turned back to Jolene. “If you guys want to stay and visit the Zoo go ahead. I would just probably get tossed into one of the exhibi
ts if I went in.” Smiling. “A great big sign saying, look at the Great Blind Retard.”

  Jolleen's mouth dropped open as she stepped back and plopped down in the front seat staring at Mark. “Damn it Mark some people like you in your glasses.” She knew that look on Mark's face well. A frown finally settled on her face as she shook her head as she buckled in then crossing her arms. "I wanted to see the Zoo." She pouted. "The ship couldn't afford it when I was in grade school." She turned and looked out the window at the hundred foot tall Dinosaurs walking and Terradactels flying and King Kong Apes in the distance carrying what looked like little buckets (to them) from one end of the park to the other full of people. Hundreds of other species from hundreds of worlds walking around the Zoo grounds in their invisible perfectly climate controlled invisible cages as thousands of people walked paths that changed their routs meandering through the park as the animals moved around their areas so the people (both human and aliens as strange as the wild life) could still see them. With street entertainers spaced every so often, weaving facts about the beasts around them into their acts. She had read about the planets famous Zoo before they had even dropped into the pit but everything was so hectic she really did not expect to have the time to go until Mark was headed that way.

  As the Zoo disappeared behind them she turned back to Mark as tears came to her eyes. She did not know if her tears were for missing the Zoo or for the ideate going to get his eyes cut out and possible killed. She could just strangle the stubborn moron. She didn’t know what she was going to do if Mark died.

  ------------------------

  Mark landed on the edge of an old rundown warehouse district bordering what looked like an old over grown dilapidated star port with plasticrete (carbon fiber hairs and strings replacing steel reinforcing) warehouses between the pits instead of one large central warehouse complex common at most modern ports including the new port he had just come from. If not for the few ships sitting in the port's pits with work going on around them, Mark would have bet it was abandoned. It was definitely a junk yard with all the rusting hulks lining the perimeter fence in stark contrast to the single new looking office building with a thousand foot plus tall control tower at the north end, several miles from where they were parked. The tower sticking up above a saucer plate ship sitting flat on the ground in front of him with its landing gear collapsed.

  The medium sized plat ship a couple hundred yards away with the hulk on the other side of the street behind the ditch and a pair of tall perimeter fences. The roughly 400 foot wide half stripped hulk sat with cargo and personnel hatches gapping wide open in the single cargo decked hull with cabin furniture and personal items strewn around it on the ground barely discernible amongst the bright blue and purple bushes and grass trying to take over the place. The hulk got only a glance from Mark which was more than most of the dozens of hulks in sight lining the fence got as he looked away from the tower.

  They entered one of the smaller cracked dirty plasticrete warehouses at the corner of the block to the tinkle of a bell hanging over the door. Jolene, Tom and Mark found themselves in a large shelf lined room with display cases scattered across the floor surrounding a small waiting area with chairs clustered in front of a reception desk at the far corner with a single door leading to the back next to the counter. Walking strait to the counter an old lady looked up as the trio approached. Two of them looked like they were going to a funeral while the one that addressed her looked ready to party. “I am Mark Collins. I have an appointment with the Doctor to…”

  “Yes young man. Take a seat. You are early. The Doctor will be with you in a few minutes.”

  Mark smiled and said. "Thank you mam." Then after sitting for a few seconds, Mark nervously got up and walked around the room looking at the shelves and display cases full of old optical equipment, telescopes, binoculars and pairs of glasses. One whole wall case was full of frames of different types. A few where plastic rimmed like his but without all the repairs. Most where various wire framed and even frameless glasses. “Shit!” Mark exclaimed. “Why couldn’t I have found a place with these?” Picking up a pair of wireless frames with only an earpiece reaching back to lay across the ear. “Maybe it would not have been so bad.” Turning around the woman sitting in one of the chairs turned back to reading a magazine sheet. The pages showing through the flimsy disposable plastic sheet as she turned the pages buy swiping her finger across the page.

  Slapping down the glasses' frame back into their notch he turned, picking up some old antique scopes to examine one at a time. Then going to the binoculars and cameras with big foot long detachable lenses for them lined up along the case and finely getting to a disc laying on one of the counters that sputtered to life as he touched it. The fuzzy image displayed over the disc looked something like a star system but was mostly a bunch of smaller blobs inside a big blob. As he picked it up it flickered on and off sending random flashes of laser light beams across the room. Mark quickly put it down looking around to see if anyone noticed and walked on a few feet looking at other objects as the disc continued to flash beams around the room.

  A few seconds later Mark walked back to the disk, cleaned his eye glasses and picked it up. Clipping a set of lenses to the side of his glasses he examined the disc and in a few seconds had it torn apart across the counter using tools from his belt and thigh pouches. Examining each of the many parts in turn with the eye peace with several swing aside lenses, allowing him to look at the small parts and circuitry.

  An old man walked in from the back room with a hand on a young girls shoulder as Mark worked. A torch flashed to life in Mark’s hands drawing the old man’s perplexed attention. The woman stood up dropping the sheet onto the table and walked up to the old man getting his attention; turning to her he said. “She will be just fine now. It was just a piece of plastic stuck under the eyelid. Put these drops in her eyes 3 times a day for a week.” Handing an eye drop bottle to her and then following them out with the tinkle of the entry door bell, the old man returned.

  He stared open mouth as Mark worked oblivious to everything around him, quickly reassembling the disk and as he put it back down on the counter it flared to life showing 8 sharp crisp planets, dozens of moons with hundreds of planetoids and an asteroid field between the small 4th hard rock planet and the first of the gas giants orbiting a bright yellow sun further out. A strange planetary arrangement with a lone hard rock planet in the inner comfort zone instead of a Gas giant of varying sizes that usually had the habitual planets around them. Mark smiled in satisfaction as he put his hands over the model and spread them apart making the star system grow to fill the room centered on the 3rd bluish green planet with a single moon. Obviously the only one naturally inhabited though many others around the system seemed to have large cities on them. Mark studied the model for a few seconds taking a close look at the 3rd planet and its single moon. Shaking his head as he turned and started putting tools away. His gaze wondered around the map spread across the room and stopped when he noticed the old man staring at him. Half his tools still strewn across the counter top.

  Mark turned red and stepped back several steps against the tall storage shelves filled with boxes lining the long side wall. Stammering something about a short circuit and the optics being dirty and misaligned. Then a box over his head lit up lighting the dark shelves around him and creating a halo affect around his head. Startled as the area around him lit up, Mark jerked away taking several steps toward the door as the box started to flash, getting faster with each step he took. Quickly turning from a worm blue, down through the spectrum until it reached bright eye hurting red, flashing almost to fast to see it flashing by the time Mark reached the door.

  Jolene and Tom sitting in the waiting area stared at both Mark and the Doctor not knowing what to expect or what to do.

  The old man starred squinting his eyes amazed at the box sitting on the shelf. Forgetting the boy making a quick retreat. The old lady at the desk stood up, oblivious to the planets wh
irling around the room as well as the box leaving shadows with each rapid flash. Talking plenty loud for Mark to hear clear across the big room with his hand on the exit door handle. “Come on Mr. Collins. Let's take you back to the surgery room.” Mark hesitated with his hand on the door as Jolene and Tom watched mesmerized from their seats in the little waiting area magazines in their hands.

  The old man still starring at the flashing box and not Mark. Slowly Mark walked back into the shop toward the old lady. As he approached the box the flashing red beacon turned back into a soft steady blueish green glow again without him noticing as he watched the old man starring up at the box over his head and not at him. Finely passing the box and the old man's gaze, Mark worked his way around the counters, hurrying to follow the old lady. The box started flashing red again until he disappeared through the door. The old man continued to stare at the darkening dusty box as the door to the back closed.

  After a few minutes the old man's face turned puzzled and then shook his head as he glanced at the star system slowly orbiting the counter and across the room. Turning toward the back to follow Mark and the old lady when Jolene followed by Tom walked up to the old man. “I think my friend is crazy with this bionic shit. Just how good are you Doctor? If you hurt him you will regret it.” She was trying hard not to cry.

  The old man smiled and put his hands on Jolene shoulder and squeezed. “Don’t worry you two; your friend will be fine.” Pointing at the hologram star system. "That has not worked since I got it and I could not find anyone that could fix it. Almost threw it away a dozen times."

  "Ya he is a real pain about fixing things. Which is going to be real hard for him to do if he is blind or dead Doctor." Jolene spoke up sarcastically worried. She wiped the teardrop running down her cheek with a fast brush of her hand as if it had not happened. Only smearing them across her cheek.