Tramp Wars: The Enemy

by Larry Roberts

  "In one week this ship will launch with enough possible profits to buy a new ship next year. But only if we can get the engines rebuilt before we lift. We have been here for over a week now as the cargo decks are modified to hold at least another ten thousand tons of cargo that we are in the process of acquiring and loading over the next few days. More than what this ship has ever loaded or hauled before. The problem is; without the engine upgrades sitting in those crates in the engine rooms installed, we don’t lift. If we don’t lift on schedule and at the new gross weight; this ship goes bankrupt in a matter of months if not weeks and we become dirt bags here in a few weeks from port fees or on a planet that does not want us and never will when our fuel runs out. With no possibility of ever lifting again as the ship is sold for scrap to cover our cargo default fines. On this planet the crew would be consigned to live in Camps that are already crowded from the crews of the hundreds of ships already sitting in sales yards or the old Planetary Port that have already gone bankrupt. In the outback we could be stuck on some airless rock or hell planet with us the crew, living entirely off the ships farm as the ship slowly disintegrates around us to eventually die.”

  Mark walked up and down the formations trying to gage their reactions. “The rest of the ship does not know this and I was told not to tell anyone but you need to know. You are the ones that have to save this ship. You are the ones that have to get these engine conversions up and running in spite of the Chief's objections or beliefs that these kits are nothing but high priced junk that will just strand us someplace or no place between the stars when they stop working if we can even get off this planet."

  "But the Chief is wrong. This planet has been selling versions of these upgrade kits for a decade simply because of the research they have done during their latest war. The fact that this is the last stop at a major industrial world through the void before the outback were the 300 year old engine technology like ours is simply not good enough not to mention that the engines are already simply worn out junk.”

  Letting that sink in Mark looked at Mr. Johnson who looked visibly pissed. Mr. Reeves stopped in the middle of the deck his hands on his knees trying to catch his breath looked shocked. Walking up to Lt. Commander Johnson, Mark whispered so only he could hear. "I cannot do this alone Mr. Johnson. As you said; I do not have the experience. I need your whole hearted and enthusiastic support on this job or we all can kiss our ASSESS good buy. I cannot even guaranty I can cover your ass with the Chief when it is over except to say that I ordered you with the threat of a court martial. Do I have your support?"

  "You just worry about the over haul Commander and let me worry about my own ass. It is going to be a miracle if we can pull this off but you are right. It has to be done whether the Chief wants it or not. I have known this all along but I could do nothing about it without orders. I know we will eventually get stranded if we don't get it done. These engines are on their last legs. But with the Chief and the other space Commanders including Senior Commander Hicks, being afraid of crashing on lift off or being stranded in deep space with the over haul upgrade kits installed in the engines, there was nothing I could do about it.”

  Looking deep into Mark eyes frowning for a second, the lieutenant smiled. “Over the last few days I have gone from seeing a boot Ensign too stupid to get out of his own way rapidly change into an Ensign battling pirates in the hold. Then that Ensign turn into a Lieutenant Jg. talking a friend from jumping off a platform and then even jumping off with that friend trying to save his life. Then over the last few days I have watched a Lieutenant organizing some kind of big operation with half the senior officers of the ship jumping at your every suggestion in spite of half the crew being scarred of you after the news caster painting you as a crazy maniacal bully. Then during the poisoning I saw an officer again risking his own life trying to save as many lives as he could.” Shaking his head as a smile crept into his expression. “Now I see MP-3’s Commanding Officer standing before me demanding discipline, ready to do what is needed to be done to save this ship, even if he is lacking a bit of experience. I will provide that experience if you will allow me Sir. You have my full support Commander Collins. I will see to it that we get this upgrade kit into this engine today sir." Taking a deep breath. “And Sir, I will with draw my request to become MP-3’s Commander as soon as I see the Chief Sir. MP-3 already have the best Commander on the ship.”

  Mark smiled surprised. “Aa thank you Mr. Johnson.” Then turned and returned to stand beside the Hologram projector. Looking over the formation standing around the core for a second Mark continued. “The Launch meeting today will be trying to decide what to do. At the Chiefs insistence, a plan will be put forward to cut back and unload cargo we have already loaded to what these, ah,, worn out ancient 300 year old engines can lift without the upgrades and then some time in the future, upgrading one engine after much study before doing the others."

  Mark realized Mr. Johnson had a point that most of the crew agreed with. Remembering his father saying that you have to give the client not only a reason to buy your product but why he can't live without it and don't forget the obvious. It is easy to ignore but is always your strongest sales point. "The problem with that is that the Engines are worn out to the point that they could leave us stranded light years between stars to die. As it is, 5 times this year we lost an engine just after 3 engine bingo only because the engines were forced to run when they should not have been. Puking their guts out for the few seconds it took to reach bingo and then taking weeks to rebuild the engine while we limped along to the next star system on 3 engines. I lost count of how many time we have had to wait orbiting planets for several days or even weeks while you guys busted your asses trying to make repairs just so we could land. One time not long ago we did lose an engine only a few seconds after liftoff but managed to land back in the pit by some miracle. I don't know about you but that scared the shit out of me." That got a laugh around the deck. "And then twice we lost 2 engines before making orbit. With one so close to 2 engine bingo that we wallowed along skimming the atmosphere for 15 fucking minutes before we finally made orbit. Fact is half the time we are running on 3 engines in deep space while one is bubble gummed and duct taped until it runs again and taking days or even weeks longer to make it to port. Loosing us profits. Which is why we are bankrupt in the first place." Mark looked at the ranks, shaking his head sadly. "You all know this already and have gotten used to it but the fact is this ship is going to be dead splattered over some planet or frozen between the stars within a year if we do not get these engines overhauled into reliable engines with these upgrades." Mark could not figure out what most of the strange looks he was getting were, (for or against) as he continued. “One of the reasons we are almost bankrupt is all the lost time between star systems and credits these engines have cost us over the last decade and it has to stop because the Outback will take and use that lost time and spit us out onto some damn planet that does not want us or the belly of a pirate, killing most of us.”

  "Secondly and just as important, the upgrades to the cargo decks have added weight by themselves reducing the payload below what was possible in the past even if we dumped half the crew out the hatch onto a planet that does not want us. With the cancellation fees for a reduction of payload we would be lucky to make operating expenses on this next run without even enough credits to buy fuel possible stranding us out their someplace within weeks. Even if somehow we managed to get enough credits to buy fuel while trying to haul a thousand tons less cargo than before, you can kiss ever saving enough credits to buy a new ship to split the crew even at the high cargo rates in the outback. That is if nothing happened to kill us. No takers, no accidents, no defaulting planets and no detours for space storms, black holes, pirate alerts and any of the shitty things that happen out there all the timethat would rob us of even more time and credits until we are stranded someplace bankrupt dead.” Mark knew he was sounding like a broken recording but he knew after watching his father make
sales pitches to clients that he had to keep hammering on the important points.

  The entire truck deck was completely silent. You could hear water dripping in the sink in the truck mechanics shop around the side of the truck bay. Besides the assembled black gang, every truck mechanic, driver, deck hand, cargo handler, maintenance worker and dispatcher on the deck had showed up from around the entire deck looking at Mark. Mickey had made sure everyone on the deck could hear Mark no matter what they were doing.

  “Let me repeat just to make sure you understand how serious things are. Even if we lift with the reduced load; all the handicaps I have described will give us an 80% chance of becoming bankrupt and out of fuel on some outback planet no one in their right mind would want to visit let alone live on and at the mercy of its inhabitants within month.”

  “So Gentlemen. We are going to overhaul and install the upgrades on MP-3 and the Hologram you have been watching is how we are going to do it. As you can see each stage is color coded for ease of tracking and co-ordination. If each of the 16 teams that we will be putting together in a few minutes finish their assigned tasks for each stage on time we should be done in about 6 hours. The first stage is mostly prep with unpacking and tear down of certain engine parts as we prepare for the hard parts.” As Mark talked, the hologram performed the tasks he described. Parts of the engine fell off while new parts where moved up to be installed. “Stage 2 is some installation on the parts taken off the engine in step 1, preparing them to go back on the engine, more tear down and more unpacking… Stage 3 is basically final complete teardown of the major engine sections to prepare the main engine for accepting the new large replacement parts with some finish work on systems that must be completed properly before other systems can be installed…. Stage 4 is mostly installation and finish work and stage 5 is back to unpacking the last of the new external hardware to go on what has been installed and the last tear down of the auxiliary systems. While stage 6 is final assembly and testing. Each stage should only take an hour and less most of the time. If that is, everyone works together and completes their part of each stage on time.” Looking at the concentrating faces in front of him across the deck Mark smiled. “I do not expect everything to go like clockwork so if it take a few extra hours so be it. We have plenty of time to get it finished even if we have to spend a couple hours after dinner doing it.”

  Mark turned to the group standing off to one side pointing at them. “The Cargo handlers patiently waiting, will help with unpacking and moving the heavy pieces of engine and equipment. It is their specialty and are a hell of a lot better and faster at it than you are. I expect you all to co-operate with them and respect them and let them do their jobs. I know that is going against tradition but they have just as much to lose as us. This is going to be a dance and that means everyone is going to have to do their part and their steps when it is required and properly. A lot of this work cannot be checked or fixed once the engine is complete which means everything has to be done right the first time or we start over again or die after the engine destroys itself half way to orbit and we wind up in a huge crater in the countryside. That is why everything is broken down into hour long segments so each segment can be triple checked before going on to the next.”

  “Now Mr. Reeves; will you come here please.”

  “Yes Commander Sir.” He said as he snapped to attention. “Sir! Please let me help Commander. You can court-martial me after wards Sir. Fact is Sir I know the Chief and I will even take the blame for you disobeying his orders sir.”

  “Mr. Reeves! An officer takes full responsibility for all his actions. The fact that you would even think of making that offer demonstrates what has already come to my attention. That you were promoted above your obvious current maturity even if you had the abilities. If you are willing to take a voluntary demotion to ensign and never lie again, I will put you on probation and take you up on that offer to help.” Taking a couple of sheets from the Boson and handing them to Mr. Reeves Mark grinned. “Sign the top sheet and then I need you to form up squads according to the list on the other sheet with the ensigns as team leaders. Since you are just the senior ensign now, you will have to use your sparkling personality to coordinate and help the other ensigns by setting an exemplary example.”

  Ensign Reeves signed the top sheet without more than glancing at it and handed it to the Boson and then looked down the list and gasped. “My name is on here as an Ensign Team leader. And the list has to be hours old!”

  “Yes Ensign Reeves. Carry on after you are in uniform.”

  “Yes sir Commander. Thank you Sir.”

  “Second Lieutenant Johnson, will you assemble the rest of the lieutenants so we can go over the first stage plans and activities please.”

  “Yes Commander Sir!”

  Ensign Reeves finished taking off his silver bars and replace them with the ensign gold bar. Mark's Boson aid provided and then turned to gather the other ensigns.

  Wide eyed, Lieutenant Johnson watched Ensign Reeves as he changed bars and started yelling at the other Ensignshappy as a clam. Then looked back at Mark with admiration.

  After trading Reeves caller tabs, Mark’s Aid turned to him and getting his attention, whispered so only he could hear. “Sir I cannot find one of the crates sir.”

  -----------------------------------------

  Captain Cook Sat back down at the Conference Table. Some 50 officers where in the process of taking their seats after the short mid-morning head and coffee break. They had spent most of the early morning hours going through trade and supply cost reports dealing with the ships time on the planet. They were going to start on getting the ship ready for lifting off this planet, basically ships maintenance and cargo stowage reports and then after another break for lunch they would get into shipping, trade, ships deep space performance, general maintenance and then after dinner, navigation decisions still needed to be made that depended on engine performance and reliability. It was promising to be a long afternoon and evening that could easily take tell midnight. Especially after all the damage the night before from the gas and with the Engineering Chief stonewalling her about the upgrades. Well the Chief would have to answer her now and it better be good news. Luckily they still had a few days tell launch.

  Her eyes quickly searched out the Chief and finding him she watched him hesitate at the wrong chair before going on to another wrong chair then back tracking to the right one. Now that she knew that the Chief could have better sight she found herself noticing how bad the Chiefs sight had always been making her feel a little ashamed they had not had his eye implants replaced years ago. But they had simply gotten used to the old when there was no better implants; either for costs or availability 20 years ago. Which brought up another item. What happened to the Doctor that was going to replace the implants?” Looking up, the good Doctor Wells was just coming into the conference room not far from the Captain. “Oh Doctor Wells.” The Captain called him over. Then talking low enough for the Doctor‘s ears only. “What ever happened to the eye specialist for the Chief?”

  “He is working on the young lady that lost her eyes in the hold battle right now sir. Using the eye implants Mr. Collins originally had scheduled for himself. Quiet fascinating sir.” The Doctor held up his sheet showing the operation on the woman live. “I wish I could observe but we have several doctors that are watching the procedure. I have the Chief scheduled for tomorrow morning. I took the liberty of having Dr. West take a look at a few patients that had been giving me problemsand I was surprised at what he found and was able to do. He has performed miracles on several of the patients already returning sight I was positive was mostly gone. I have decided to schedule Dr. West to see other patients this afternoon and every day we are still pitted if that meets with your approval Captain. He has even volunteered to stay late in the evenings with all the patients I would like him to see before we lift. Which brings up an idea I would like to pass by you Captain. The ship reports I have read all say most of the pla
nets in the Outback are desperate for good medical help. I would like to ask the eye specialist Dr. West to stay on and join our little ship’s family. He would not only be good for the ship but his equipment is light years ahead of everything we have but on all the planets we will be visiting as well and could make us a lot of credits in the clinics I plan on holding in the pits or nearby cities or stations while we are in each system.”

  “Have you talked to Doctor West about that yet?”

  “I wanted to get your feelings on the subject first Captain.”

  “Well, it is something you should bring up in your report today Doctor. Thank you for the heads up, but yes if we can find room for him and his family, it is something to look into.” Though she knew it would add another hour to the Councils discussions. But if the Outback systems medical tech has degenerated as much as the reports says it has, the Doctor could help bring in a considerable chunk of credits at each pit. Captain Cook turned to his Executive Officer and had him start a quick study on possible profits and suitable accommodations. A ground pounder would not put up with a closet sized cabin and not to forget that wage arrangements could be complicated. Time was limited and a package would have to be quickly put together listing the pros and cons of for the council to consider and then present to the Doctor if they decided to make him an offer. Patting her breast pocket for a Cigar even though she already had one smoking in the ashtray. With all the other business and problems, this was definitely going to be a long one.

  “And Captain” Doctor Wells frowned and then became stubborn. “We need to expand the nursery as well as the patient care ward. I know we don’t have room to expand in our present section but I was thinking that we could start a separate clinic in say the now Empty Greedly Park compartments. I can’t see anyone wanting to take over their cabins with so many people dying in them. Fact is we could consolidate many of the departments we now have scattered all over the ship into that section allowing the compartments we are now using to be returned to cabins. Besides that park would go a long way helping patients recuperate faster.”