Tramp Wars: The Enemy

by Larry Roberts

  Mark starred at his plate for a few seconds frowning before pushing his plate away and looked over at his parents and then up at Dian’s dad with a forced smile. Taking a deep breath and letting it out, he shrugged. “It was 7 at the beginning and I took four of them by surprise when the overhead loader operator dropped a pile of junk on one guard out in the open that had a weapon pointed at me. Giving me time to point my altered torch at 3 of the 4 in the junk pile pulling the torpedoes out with me. I told the three to surrender and when they pulled their pistols; I tried to run but tripped over a pipe and fell. I don’t remember pulling the trigger but the torch cut most of them in half by accident. Then as I picked myself up the 4th dove for cover trying to shoot me with his own torch first by mistake, then he dropped the torch and pulled his pistol and I just turned around and pulled the trigger not even aiming. I was so scared I couldn’t even think, so I can‘t imagine how the hell I managed to hit him and… Well.”

  Mark turned green at the thought as he grimaced. “Luckily the leader of the group that started shooting at me with his laser gun from the center of the hold missed his first shot at me by some miracle giving me time to run for cover and then again I was too scared to aim and did not even come close to hitting him as I ran but then when I zigged instead of zagged and got trapped in the mess of junk. I was a stuck target that couldn’t be missed. Then Pop blew the asshole apart with his assault blaster just as old Boocoo, the junkman fired. How the hell he missed me again is another miracle though he came close burning my uniform and cutting me free from where I was stuck." Mark looked down and felt his chest where the beam had just missed him leaving a burn streak that could not be seen under his new kakis uniform.

  Then Mark rubbed his arm that had been in line with his chest burn were his new white uniform shirt had been burned from the shot. "Big surprise to me since Pop had been shot in the shoulder with a laser at the beginning of that mess and was half dead.” Starring up at the screen and the hundredth replay of the battle between long distance shots of the open hold and interviews with crewmen, policemen and even some of the junk yard dogs that had attacked the hold as they were being moved from police aircars to the Starport’s security building. Mark shook his head. “Then I hid behind the loader to scarred to move until Dian called.” Mark smiled weakly. “Wanting me to come to her swearing in ceremony.” Mark chuckled sickly. “Only thing is I was trying to keep from getting my ass killed and terrorized out of my mind, frozen solid, even though I could see a bunch of dickheads sneaking up on my men on the other side of the loader from this side of the pile they were hid behind to kill them. I guise I owe you for embarrassing me or strengthening me or whatever you did to make me save those men, but…” Pointing at the guy on the screen. “I don’t know who that fool is that got into a hurry and jumped up in plain sight of a dozen guns and how the hell he managed to killed anyone is beyond me, but it wasn’t old chicken shit me.”

  Mark started shaking as he got up and walked out of the mess decks bumping into half the tables and chairs he passed. Dian ran after him and caught up to him in their cabin where they spent the rest of the evening and half the night with Mark trying his best to forget while wearing her out to her delight. Both sets of parents calling later, waking them from exhausted sleep each time to start again. With Dian assuring his parents that Mark was alright and later, her parents that she was in heaven and would see them the next day.

  Mark woke with Dian naked in his arms, her head on his chest laying on her side squeezed between Mark and the bulkhead. Flopping his hand carefully around the night shelf Mark felt for his glasses. When he could not find them he groaned and turned his head, squinting he looking for his glasses. "Oh damn! What happened to my glasses?" Lifting his head he tried to look down onto the deck but something was holding him down. Turning his head back he suddenly realized that Dian was laying on his chest and smiled. "Wow babe. You are beautiful and I can see you perfectly? How the heck?" Mark reached up to feel his temple and felt nothing with the quick brush. "Ah?" Looking at his hand to make sure he was still seeing clearly he brought his finger closer to his eye. "Damn it is so frigging clear." Mark kept bringing his finger closer and closer to his eyes. "It is so sharp and clear." And then his finger hit the crystal lens in front of his right eye to his surprise as he started falling into his finger down past his print ridges where he started to see strange creatures appear and rocks grow into boulders and then cells and.. Mark jerked his finger away shaking his head. “Now that would be a trip if I was stoned.”

  "What did you say Hun?" Dian smiled over at Mark as she ran her fingers across his chest.

  "Oh ah. I forgot I still had my glasses on. I still cannot believe I can see so clearly." Looking down at her sweet face. "Godstar you are so beautiful."

  "Whoa there! Turn your face. Your breath could kill a Mooyack. Pope a breath mint."

  "Well, we need to get up anyway." Mark frowned as he turned his head away. "You have classes and I have to make plans to steal an engine room." Mark slid his feet out from under the blanket covering them and tried to get up only to have Dian slip her arms around him as she pulled herself up to kiss him.

  Laying a lip lock on him. "I am sorry babe. I did not mean to hurt your feelings." She said with her lips brushing Marks as she pressed her boobs into him. "My breath must be just as bad."

  "Ah actually no. I love how sweat your breath is."

  Mickey interrupted. "No Mark. Don't start lying now even about as little a thing as her breath."

  "Mickey; I am not lying. I don’t care what her breath smells like besides it is not that bad. Besides everyone has morning breath." Mark said under his breath.

  Dian jabbed him in the side. "Thanks love. But you are a terrible liar. I could have been a little more polite or diplomatic about it. I am just so used to having family around me I forget how easy it is to hurt feelings."

  "What? You didn't hurt my feelings. I was just a little surprised." Throwing back the covers he slapped her butt and slid out from under her as he gave her another kiss. Her skin rubbing against him making his blood run hot again. Slipping his hand down between her legs.

  Dian moaned closing her eyes and then pushed him away. "Later love. Tomorrow; set the alarm earlier and we can play." Bighting her lower lip she smiled as she starred down between his legs taking a deep breath before continuing. "We both need showers and clean teeth and you can bounce me silly during lunch hour ok." Looking up into his eyes. "And don't be late." Reaching out to run her hand over his member she jumped up and grabbed her kit, robe and a towel. Slapped him on his butt and ran for the door before looking down at his growing member again. "Looks like you are going to be a few minutes."

  After a quick bite for lunch in the ensign's mess while not noticing the stares, they spent most of the hour in their cabin. As they dressed afterword’s Dian wrinkled up her nose. "Woo, you are all sweaty and smelly again. We both need a shower but it is time for work." Fastening her bra and then pushing her boobs around to fit in the cups, having to push her nipples in to fit the much too small bra that looked like it was a few years old. "I will see you tonight after my late class for dinner. Make sure you take a shower." Fastening up her blouse. "My parents, brothers and sisters will be having dinner with us. About time for you to meet them all. Just ignore my brothers. They are going through a faze." She kissed him on the lips and closed the door behind her and then opened it back up with a big smile. "My sisters will love you." She kissed him again on the cheek. Then as she shut the door. "And don't forget to brush your teeth.

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  Mark was too busy that afternoon to think about much of anything but the complicated Main Propulsion Engine upgrade kit and a crew that not only hated him but was too small to get it done in less than a week even if they cooperated. By dinner, things where starting to come together as fare as understanding the mechanics on how to do the upgrade and several hours of hypnoteaching. That is if he could simply
figure out how to get his Engine room crew to cooperate and get the other engine room crews to stay out of the engine room and slowing or even stopping the work. A plan was starting to form with the help of the Admiral, Mickey and the bosom but it just seemed impossible to him with the other three Main Propulsion engine rooms getting in the way and interfering during the week it would take while his crew worked. Even if he figured out how to get the cooperation of his own crew it was simply impossible to keep the other officers and crewmen out of MP-3 long enough to get it done without their sabotaging the work at every turn.

  Mark finely got to dinner as Dian's family was sitting down having forgotten that they would be there let alone having time to shower after he woke up from the latest hypno-teaching session. The last thing he needed was to have to make small talk with his head full of plans that included half the day of hypno-teaching after finding out that Mickey and the Admiral had spent most of the night before with him in hypno-teach each time he had fallen asleep with Dian in his arms. He was little company that evening as he kept going over the massive amount of work needed to rebuild the engine still trying to find short cuts as well as figure out how to make a crew that hated him do the work. Not that the work was that complicated once he had broken it down into smaller jobs, but he was already seeing that it was really more than one engine room crew as inept and hateful as the crew assigned to his engine room could do. Especially in the time he was going to have to do it in. He simply needed more manpower or figure out how to get more time or maybe even outside help from the company that made the kits. That is, before he was stopped by the Chief. Actually he had finally realized that all the experts he really needed were assigned to the other engine rooms.

  Dian talked everyone's heads off trying to make up for Marks lack of talking though he did try to answer questions when asked. His mind was definitely elsewhere as Dian gave him long irritated looks each time he would answer a question in only a word or two. And then when he started drawing on the table in front of him while whispering seemingly to no one, she turned red. Placing her hand on his hand stopping is drawing. "Father asked you a question Mark! Quit playing around."

  Looking up Mark smiled embarrassed. "Sorry but this promotion to Engine Room Commander is a lot more complicated than I could ever dream. I have hundreds of decision to make about problems that are almost nightmares in the next few days and little time to think about each." Turning to look at Dian, Mark smiled. "I will try to be more attentive during dinner but I must get back to work as soon as we are done. Once we are in space I will have plenty of time to tell your brothers what they can do with some of their suggestions as well as dinner parties." Something hit Mark on the side of his cheek dropping to the deck. Turning Mark looked across several tables to see Chet holding a straw and his friends smiling at him as Chet rolled something between his fingers in the other. Turning back Mark smiled at Dian's Father. "How is your job going sir? Ah, you are an attorney right?"

  "Yes Ensign. Or should I say Commander. Legally now that you have been put into Command of the MP#3; you should hold the temp rank of Commander while in that posting making you equal to the other engine room Commanders. Though you did not even know a basic fact like that Mark. How can you possibly think you can run a whole engine room that takes years of experience and a real Commander with Oak leaves on his collar. No, the Admiral has lost it. The Captain has asked us to figure out a way to get you out of that position as soon as possible.”

  Mark’s eyes widened at the blatant hostility in the man’s voice.

  Dian’s father shook his head sadly. “I am sorry Mark, but no one can figure out why the Admiral put you in such a critical position of authority. The other Commanders have 15 and 20 years of experience handling their crews and keeping those engines running while sometimes doing the impossible without having to think about it.” Dian’s father stared at Mark. “You simply do not belong there. Certainly you must see that. Ask yourself, why would anyone put you in charge of an engine room that the whole ship with over 6000 people on board depend on for their lives? Especially when damn near every one of the two hundred odd crewmen down there are better qualified with more knowledge and experience than you."

  Getting his composure back and taking a breath as Dian’s father stared at him. "You know Mr. Abraham, I asked the Admiral that very same question the first time I met him." Mark took a bite of potatoes and gravy as Dian’s father’s eyes widened a little in surprise. The Admiral rarely talked to anyone but the Computer Chief and the Captain. “He told me that I was the most qualified person on the ship and the only one that could get the job done. He really does not want the crew to be dumped into the Tramp Camps and the ship scrapped with him in it. Which is a certainty at the moment unless I am successful in getting my engine up graded to show that it can be done.” Mark frowned and reached up and fingered the gold ensign bar on his collar as he looked down at it and then his bare uniform with only his name plate over his breast. Looking around at the other officers sitting in the area reserved for officers and their families. He could see the Commander of MP-2 a few tables away with his chest full of proficiency tabs and ratings below the Oak leaves on his collar. Most of the officers had impressive chests even if they were only wearing kakis’. He had to admit all the bling was impressive making them look like Officers that knew what they were doing.

  "Mark; Chet is getting ready to shoot at you again with a wad of compressed moistened paper. Get ready to hold your hand up if you want to intercept the shot before it hits you in the head again. I will show you where to hold your hand." said Mickey in Marks ear.

  Mark could see a line in the corner of his glasses arcing up from Chet's straw quivering around Mark's head. Dians whole family seemed to be staring at Mark waiting for him to tell them what else the Admiral had said. "Frankly, I am just as shocked as anyone about my assignment. You should see the crap everyone down in the MP spaces are dumping on me. Hell I could not even get into the MP computer at first. The last job I want to be doing is trying to get an upgrade overhaul done on my engine that no one down their wants. But the Admiral thinks I can do it and I am going to try my best to do just that."

  Mark suddenly jerked his left hand up beside his head palm out just in time to catch a spit ball though no one at the table knew why his hand went spastic. Smiling as he looked into his palm for a second. Amazed that Chet was so accurate from as far away as he was though he had gotten just as close as possible sitting right on the rope dividing the officer’s area from the rest of the mess deck during dinner. Mark continued. "And you just may have filled in the last little piece of the puzzle I needed to get it done Mr. Abraham. Not that bit about being a temporary Commander with the assignment but that there are a whole lot of qualified trained crewmen down there. Fact there are a lot of trained crewmen all over the ship that are damn good at what they do."

  Mark sat back thinking for a minute then turned to look at Dian’s father as he continued to stare at Mark baffled. Trying to figure out what the young man that he knew was not good enough for his daughter was even talking about. “I already knew I have the rank of Temp Commander but you could not know that because I went out of my way not to emphasize the fact, as much as I have always hated officers. You have made me realize that was a big mistake. How can anyone follow orders from me, a lowly Ensign? After all, it is a matter of respecting the uniform as everyone seems to be going out of their way to tell me over and over again and I have been trying my best to ignore. How can anyone else respect the uniform or my rank if I don’t? Especially the 200 odd crewmen in the engine rooms. Thanks for forcing me to see reality and filling in the last piece of the puzzle sir. I know I am the last person that should have been put in command of MP-3 but I was and it is now my engine and the fact that even you and the Captain are trying to take it away from me really is pissing me off.” Mark smiled. “Again thanks for giving me the last piece of the puzzle sir.”

  "Puzzle Mark?" Said Dian's father. "I said that we ar
e trying to get you kicked out of your posting as Commander of MP-3. How does that help you Mark?"

  "The Admiral calls it respecting the uniform Mr. Abraham. Respecting the uniform and using your man power effectively." Smiling as he caught another spitball and dropped it with the others on the table. "Tell me sir. How is that going? Getting me kicked out of MP3 entirely."

  Dian’s father took a deep breath. "The Admiral has never been overruled before as far as posting job assignments. There are a dozen laws on the books reinforcing his authority to keep nepotism from hurting the ship’s performance. It is too easy on most ships for ranking officers or even councilmen to assign unqualified or even dangerous people to postings they should never be near. Putting that authority solely into the Admiral's hands assures this ship has the best crew possible and survives."

  "But this time everyone thinks the Admiral has gone crazy! Right Counselor?"

  "Yes Mark. Everyone including me think the Admiral has made a mistake in judgment. We are looking for a loop hole to overturn the Admiral's ruling. Though there are thousands of pages of rules put into place over the years to cover all the loop holes that have cropped up so it may take a few more days before we come up with something. We were hoping to get you out before the prelaunch department head meeting in three days but it looks like that won’t happen until after. Luckily we are pitted and you can't do too much damage with all the reports the Captain has you righting and yes with the crews treating you like shit and ignoring any orders you give thank Godstar. So just sit back and relax Mark, until my staff can get you reassigned to a posting you deserve and in line more with your abilities."