Standing up Mark looked around the mess deck and asked for Mickey’s help then pointed off to the right. “George do you have your torch on you?”
“Yes Sir.” he said as he stood up.
“Then come on down.” Mark said as he waved him over looking around the compartment and continued. “Come on guys the rest of you get over here with your torches. As another man stood up to make his way he noticed another trying to hide behind his companions at the table. Smiling it took a couple of seconds to decide how to handle the situation. Not wanting to make a big scene in public or embarrass the man, he stared at the man hoping to make him uncomfortable enough to come forward but finally. “Ok Oscar, I see you trying to hide over there.”
Oscar sheepishly stood up tucking the torch behind his butt onto the seat of the chair as he pushed it back. “I don’t have it Sir. I ah lost it in the battle sir.” He stood up and turned around to show that he no longer had it on him.
“Now Oscar we both know that torch is your prize position and you would die before leaving it anywhere.” Mark did not know anything of the sort but it sounded good to everyone else and gave the guy a chance to save face in public. “Tell you what Oscer BRING IT HERE NOW and since it is battle damaged; the ship will replace it with a brand new top of the line Bosch Torch that will be the envy of the ship. Fact is you all should get one.” Looking around. “Now where is Supply Master Chief Watson? Oh there you are Chief. How about coming up with some new Torches for these guys?”
The Chief who had ignored the whole fight put down his chicken leg wiping his hands on the cloth napkin in his lap and turned around from his wife to face Mark. “Ensign. I am not about to start buying new top of the line expensive equipment every time some stupid swabby gets clumsy and breaks it. They can just take some of their beer money and purchase their own cheap junk so they can learn to take care of tools right. You might try reading the regulations on ship supplied tools, or do you need new glasses again?” The Chief chuckled at his joke as he turned back around shaking his head. “Since you are just too stupid to find the ward room where you are supposed to be eating.”
Mark reached for the riffle that was not on the table anymore. The years of torment and abuse suddenly welling up as he remembered placing the bully Greedly back on the deck when he reached for his glasses and the pain he had caused and wanted to inflict onto all the people that had ever picked on him. Though the Supply Master Chief he had never even met before suddenly became all those that had. His heart started beating through his chest. Finding the chair instead he picked it up and picturing every bully in his past he brought it down with a crash on the empty table next to him breaking the chair and sending abandoned food and utensils clattering across the deck. “How clumsy of me Chief.” Mark grabbed his torch back off the table and started walking towered the Chief clenching his fists feeling invincible with his own army ready to do in anyone that got into his way. “Did I hear you DISSING my men? No, don’t tell me, cause I don’t want to hear your pathetic excuses. After Pop was shot down in cold blood. These men risked their lives tearing their Torches apart under heavy enemy fire at my orders to make them into weapons so we could defend your sorry fat ass with several getting wounded during the counter attack. Now tell me again what you said a minute ago Chief.”
Mark was half way to the Master Chiefs table as he realized that his army was not following and everyone on the mess deck was looking at him shocked. Suddenly his legs started feeling like led as he asked himself what the hell he was doing. And why would a Chief who was following the Chief Supply Officer’s and Captains orders even give him the time of day let alone follow his orders. Wanting to run and hide; Mark looked around. To embarrassed to stop and suddenly scarred as he did not have the slightest idea what he was doing. Taking several more steps as his feet kept acquiring more cement with each step he tried to figure out where the hell he got (Dissing his men) from. Did he really say that? How the hell did he get himself into this mess?
Then it downed on him that his club had seen a movie years before about some ghetto kids dissing each other and him and his friends had spent the month dissing each other. Shit, now how the hell was he going to apologize without sounding like the fool he was?
Then a saying his father had told him once popped into his mind. “It is always best to find out and tell the client why it is in his own best interest to sell or buy what he doesn’t want to sell or buy.” Mark swallowed as he sat down in one of the vacant chairs at the Chiefs table still feeling like running but to embarrassed too run. He stubbornly bulled on and smiled bowing to the Master Chief’s wife. “My apologies for interrupting your lunch mam.” Turning to the chief after glancing at his 3 kids sitting at the table and leaning in close to talk just to the Chief still not knowing what he was going to say but decided the truth was his best and only option. “The problem Master Chief…Ah, is that I have shown these men and woman how to easily make their cheap torches into lethal weapons…. Which is why we are collecting them in the first place.” Mark thumbed the power up on is torch to maximum and carefully gave the torch to the Master Chief. “Here Master Chief be careful. This is a very deadly weapon now, it was perfectly safe enough for a stupid swabby to use a couple hours ago.”
The Master Chief looked at Mark with eyes that did not buy his spiel. “I saw your little demo a few minutes ago Ensign. I don’t know why you think you need to replace your men’s private torches but shooting the overhead with a laser pistol to fool everyone else is not going to work for me.” Taking the torch he pointed it at the ceiling and pulled the trigger and the ceiling exploded sending a shower of mettle and insulation falling down across the table covering his families lunch making his wife scream. Fire alarms went off across the mess deck and the rest of the ship as the Master Chief turned to stare at Mark. Mark did not tell him that his torch was a lot more powerful than the average torch after he had added the more powerful power pack.
“Ah, the ah... The Bosch torch I want you to pick up for them is impossible to convert into a lethal weapon.” Looking at the Chief for a few seconds trying to think of what else to say. “Do you really want a dozen deadly weapons running around the ship in these Swabee's hands around your kids and lovely wife.” Shaking his head, no. “Come Chief, I can already feel the hairs on my back prickling. I think this could be put down as ships essential equipment for the crew's and passengers safety.” Smiling at the Master Chief. “But then maybe we should just giver these back to the men and save the ship a few credits and hope they don’t kill each other with them or a civilian.” Mark reached over and switched on the torches safety as the Master Chief pointed it at his wife as he stared at it.
“Well maybe I was wrong about your men Commander and I suppose the ship should buy them new torches.”
“Thank you Master Chief. The new Bosch 1280s right? One of the best torches on the market.” Mark smiled from ear to ear not telling him it was also one of the most expensive. "All the cheaper torches can be made into lethal weapons if you know how. And I am sorry to say after today the men now know how."
"Mark!" Mickey said upset. "That is a lie."
"No it isn't. All the torches the men can afford to buy I can figure out how to convert. Mostly. I think. And he does not need to know there are a few torches that are a little cheaper. This is the one I have always dreamed about having. Mite as well as go for it."
“Well ok. Bosch 1280s you said?” His face showing disbelief. “But a cheaper…
“Would be easily made into a weapon know that I have shown them how. Yes Chief and you will send someone out right know so these fine men can have them for work this afternoon won’t you Chief. They use their torches constantly on maintenance and moving cargo.”
“Now that is asking a bit…”
“That is asking to apologize to these brave men for dissing, for insulting them so publicly Chief. Don’t you think?” Mark could not believe he just said that dissing again.
“If you insist ah
ensign. I suppose it would be the thing to do. I am sorry Ensign for aa. Dissing your men.”
“Well don’t apologize to me Chief. The men are over... Well, all around you.” Mark said load enough for half the Mess deck to hear.
Turning to look around the mess deck, the Chief looked truly contrite as he stood up. “Men, I humbly thank you for all that you have done this morning and wish to assure you that you will have your new torches by the end of the day.” Frowning as he tried to figure out how, with the ship broke. “I suppose we can put off buying some cleaning supplies and…”
Standing up Mark started to leave before he said something stupid. Mark noticed a young, very familiar young lady named Pardon still half falling out of her halter top start clapping a few tables over. Getting a glint in his eyes Mark started clapping himself raising his hands over his head and turning around in a circle to encourage other people to join in which more and more did until most of the mess was politely clapping. With a few adding verbal thanks to the Chief.
As the room started to quiet down Mark bent over placing his hand on the Chiefs .shoulder as he had seen his father do in negotiations to seal the deals. “Thanks Chief. But the fact is, now that it will be common knowledge by tomorrow how to convert all the crews’ cheap torches into weapons. You should order enough for the whole maintenance and deck crews so we can confiscate and even ban all the cheap torches. Just a suggestion Chief.” Mark said good day to the Chief's wife and headed for his own table.
Back at his own table the Master at Arms gave up trying to collect and carry all of the converted Torches with only one Patrolman with him and called for reinforcements as the fire crew ran in.
“Aren’t we missing ah...? Mindy and Tony? We need to get their Torches yet.” Mark said.
The Master at Arms turned and yelled at the fire crew. “I cancelled the Fire alarm. It was just a Moran firing a torch into the overhead. No fire but the overhead took some damage.
“Mindy is in Sickbay, it seems the damage to her eyes are worse than the medics thought Sir. I tried to see her on the way to mess but I could not get in to intensive care not being a relative Sir.” Herb said then left to return to his table.
“Ok. We will have to do something about that. How about Tony where is he?”
“He is on the hold clean up detail last I heard Sir.” Oscer carefully laid his torch on the table turned and started back to his table as the Patrolman was trying to figure out how to carry them all. "We will be joining him as soon as we get done with chow." Not happy about it parting with his torch.
“Ok. Oscer take George with you after you guys get done with lunch. Track down Tony and get his torch and meet me at Sickbay please.”
The Master at arm told the Patrolman to tag along with Oscer. The Patrol man trying to tuck one more torch under his chin with his arms full looked up at the Master at Arms and dropped the bunch of torches back onto the table and took off after Oscer.
“Herb you still want to see Mindy I am headed that way.”
“Mind if I tag along Sir?” Said Tammy half way to her table.
“Ya sure. The more the merrier.” Turning to Chief Watson. “Master Chief Watson, I have two more that aren’t here that need new Torches if you would please.”
The Master Chief and his family were headed back to the closed chow line to try to get replacement plates of food along with most of the people that had been near them, the Chief held up a hand with thumb and forefinger touching and waved. “Hell, looks like I am getting half the crew new torches.” Shaking his head as he tried to figure out where he was going to get the credits from.
“George!” Yelled Oscer across half the Mess deck. “Get on your feet and quit stuffing your face, we are going so we can get back to see Mindy with the Ensign while we can. I heard she is blind now with half her face gone from that near miss.”
“Oh shit man. I just sat down.” George yelled back as he got up with a hunk of meet kissed his wife and headed for the hatch. “I will see if I can get you in to see her later, unless you want to follow Ensign Collins down now and I will meet you there.”
Mark grabbed the earth tech module and the brownie off his plate miraculously still on the table and headed for the hatch with a dozen cargo apes and half their families’ falling over themselves fallowing. Half way to the hatch someone started clapping and was soon followed by most of the mess deck standing. Mouth full of brownie Mark’s fast distance eating walk slowed to a crawl as he turned around starring, baffled. Module in one hand, half eaten brownie in the other and his half open gapping mouth full of brownie. Backing towered the hatch he stopped, chewing as an afterthought as a tear slid down his cheek. The news screen over his head showing him standing on the loader's deck blast riffle in hand on his hip, enemy bodies lying back along beside the junk pile as the wind from open hatch and the Star Queens Fantrucks still landing and discharging marines blowing his tattered uniform in the smoky breeze wafting around him. Looking around the Mess in disbelief; he finely turned and ran through the hatch.
By the time the men came through the hatch, Mark had composed himself and they continued to the Sickbay. While the men were told to wait out in the reception area; Mark (after ditching his utility belt) was escorted back to intensive care. Standing beside Mindy's bed, Mark thought she was asleep at first and then as he stared at the cream covered red raw meat covering the side of her face and head with a bandage across her eyes she turned toward him seeming to look right at him and asked. “Is someone there? Who is it?”
“I am, ahh. Collins. Ensign Collins. I ordered you to attack the Junk men.”
“Yes I remember Sir. I think I got a couple of them before they got me sir.” She smiled under the bandages.
“Yes you did a great job. We really kicked their butts.”
“Sir I heard you kicked butt yourself. Is it true they almost blew the ship up?”
“Yes it is Mindy. Another couple of seconds and neither of us would have been here.”
“Then it was worth my eyes sir.”
“I am so sorry Mindy but I must be honest with you. I would rather it came from me than someone else. After the Battle the Captain said…”
“I would appreciate it ensign if you let me do my own talking and stop spreading rumors.”
Mark whipped around. “Captain! But I screwed up. You said…”
“I say a lot of things when I do not know all the facts. That is why I rely on my officers on the scene to take the appropriate actions. You handled the situation as best as you could under the circumstances as fast as they were developing and with the information you had and that is all I ever expect of any officer. Now…" The Captain's phone peeped. Touching her wrist she placed a bud in her ear and said. "Captain Cook here." She listened for a few seconds. Her mouth dropping open in disbelief. "Yes Admiral I can hear you but that is ridiculous. You can't put an Ensign in charge of Main Propulsion Room 3 or any MPR for that matter. Especially one that has been a boot ensign for less than a day." The Captain's mouth opened and closed several times as she tried to speak before she finely managed to get a word in. "I don't care how long he has served in the engine rooms. I will not have it!" "No!" "I." "But Admiral Lieutenant Johnson has been MPR 3's acting Commander for a year now simply because you refused to assign someone as Commander." "What do you mean Lieutenant Johnson is not qualified to be Commander? And a boot ensign is?" You have got to be…." "No admiral. I know ships regulations."
The sickbays front desk medic came in carrying a sheet. "Captain Sir. I was told to give this to you sir." She handed the sheet to the Captain and then left.
Looking down at it the Captain read it shaking her head. "Damn it Admiral. For the first time in my life I suddenly have my doubts about." "Yes I remember you promoting me over senior officers time and again but I deserved it. I worked hard and…." "Yes Admiral. You only promote officers for the good of the ship but I fail to see how this could be anyway shape or form good for the ship."
Ma
rk suddenly heard the voice on the other end of the Captain's conversation. "Captain Adams could not see how promoting an upstart troublesome female over senior officers could be good for the ship either and you eventually saved the ship and became the best Captain this ship has ever had. Now I have decided all promotions since this ship was purchased by the family. I made sure it was in the sales agreement. In time you may have to court martial Mr. Collins, kicking him out the nearest airlock but until then you will follow orders Captain Cook. For the Good of Star Queen. Good day Captain Cook."
The Captain looked back down at the sheet as the connection went dead. Handing the sheet to Mark she frowned. "I have been waiting for a report on the condition and progress of the over haul conversion of Main Propulsion engine #3 and I do believe that you are MP 3’s commanding officer now Mr. Collins. Do you think you could find the time in your busy schedule to actually do the job you are assigned. We need those engines. Or should I give it to someone else that can do the job. And let you go back to playing tidily winks in the holds.” The Captain ignored the fact that he had yet to get any reports out of engineering concerning the engine upgrade rebuilds.
Mark took the sheet and studied it. “Me Commanding officer of MP-3 but why?" He wanted to ask what moron ideate made him Commander of Engine room 3 but he suddenly decided not to look the gift horse in the mouth. If it was a gift horse and he still could not figure out why anyone would give someone a horse let alone look it in the mouth. "No sir! I mean Yes Sir I am headed straight for MP#3 now sir.” Saluting he started to leave and stopped. “Sir could you please arrange for my crew to visit Mindy. They are just outside in the waiting room and worried sir.” Turning around he went back to Mindy's bedside taking her hand. "Ahgh. I ah. If there is anything you need or want, just call me. I will stop by later when I get a few minutes." He started to leave then paused. "Captain ah. Doctor West ah...”
Tramp Wars: The Enemy Page 48