“Okay, Erica,” Captain Cindy said. “Sounds like you're the best choice. You’ll go over to Supply. Elinor should have it out of storage by now.”
“The Maintenance Chief sent a few people down there to check it out,” Dodo told the captain.
“Good.” Captain Cindy nodded. She turned to Erica. “How are you feeling? You will be working during third shift. You understand?”
“Yes, captain.”
#
“Click it here and click it there,” Mitty Williams said. Mitty was a maintenance tech. She was kneeling behind Erica and helping get her into the battle armor.
“Did you get th-” said Azzie Williams the other maintenance tech.
“Of course, Azzie! I just did that a second ago!” Mitty snapped.
“Okay, no reason get snappy.” Azzie scratched her short greasy hair. “How does it feel, Erica?”
“Feels okay.” Erica hadn’t tried moving in it. She had to wait until the techs were done checking it out. “Air supply is on. Not too cold or not too hot.”
“Good. That’s what the data screen says,” Mitty said. She had stood up to go back to the console with several data screens on it.
The two techs had been poking and pushing Erica in every location of her body, including the private sections. Extremely humiliating, until Erica realized they were more interested in the technology than her. Then it was just damn annoying.
They were in one of several maintenance rooms where anything from armor suits and e-suits to stunners and tablets were checked and repaired. There were other rooms for the larger stuff and a couple of special rooms for robots.
Azzie joined Mitty at the console and tapped on a data screen. “Okay. Please, raise your right arm.”
Erica did.
Azzie tapped a button. “Please, raise your left arm.”
Erica did. Mitty got to tap a button this time.
It went on like that for an hour, though it seemed like days to Erica. Walk forward. Walk back. Turn left. Turn right. Spin. Scratch your butt. All sorts of seeing things. All concluding with taps on the data screen. I must remember not to kill the techs, for they are family and all of that shit. Erica snorted.
“What? Something wrong?” Azzie asked.
“No.”
CHAPTER NINETY-FOUR
Bad choices
“You’re sure about this, Erica?” Tilly asked Erica.
Erica was inside sickbay and dressed in the military grade battle armor. The armor enhanced her strength and speed. The Cargo crews on Guinevere had loader suits that gave the user strength, but they didn’t have the flexibility and fighting ability of battle armor. It was the main difference between military grade battle armor and civilian grade armor for security and police types. Civilian grade armor was just a protective shield over the body.
“Yes.” Erica nodded. “This armor is the only thing that’ll go up against Demon.”
“I know.” Tilly put her hands on her hips. “I just don’t see why you can’t wait till second shift is on duty again. Second shift has already run extra hours after we ran Daughter all alone. You need some rest.”
“I’m fine, Tilly.”
“You’re worried sick about Martha, and that’s all you care about.”
“Jealous?”
“In your dreams, Erica.” Tilly chuckled. “I’m going to meet Lynna at the gym. Take care of yourself.”
“I will.”
Tilly waved as she left sickbay.
Elsewhere in sickbay’s operating room, Martha was still being worked on, but Erica didn’t ask the nurse on duty about it, for Erica was on duty herself. There was another guard on duty in civilian security armor with a blaster rifle.
Demon burst into sickbay; she flung the guard across the room. Erica attacked with some punches, but didn’t use all her strength and speed at first. Demon looked started when Erica slammed a battle-armor-enhanced uppercut to Demon’s ribs.
Demon stumbled back, but only for a second. Demon charged. Everything moved at lightning speed. A punch. Sidekick. High block. Dodge. Roundhouse kick. Jab. Jab. Slip to the side. Demon slammed a hip into Erica’s groin and pulled her over her shoulder. Erica slapped the floor. Demon dashed out of sickbay.
“Shit!” Erica got up and glanced at the stats on her helmet’s data screen. She could bring up the data screen in front of her face anytime she wanted. Erica shut it off. The nurse on duty was examining the injured guard. “Is she okay?”
“She was knocked unconscious.”
“I’m fine,” Abra Williams the guard said.
“No. You’re not,” the nurse replied.
#
Demon returned to her hideout in the cargo bay. She yanked off her hood exposing her long multi-colored hair. Demon was so pissed at Erica that she wasn’t thinking right.
“Your granddaughter Erica is pissing me off!” Demon grabbed Audrey.
“Please let me go. We can pay you to leave us alone.”
“I don’t want no damn money!” Demon cut Audrey free of the ropes that bound her wrists and ankles. “I hate that bitch!”
Audrey held up her hands like she wanted to talk her down. Instead she swung fists at her kidnapper. Demon laughed at the old woman’s pathetic punches, which she allowed to hit her. I barely feel them. Demon sent a strong kick to the old woman’s belly. This brought Audrey to her knees. So easy.
“You’re just like her!” Demon screamed.
“Thank you.” Audrey glared at Demon.
Demon’s hands shook. She screamed. Demon hacked her head off with one of her big daggers.
Demon screamed again. “Now I’ve fucked up!” She kicked the head. “What do I do now?”
Demon sat down on a chair by the body. She hung her head. Demon didn’t usually have depressed moments. She was a happy-go-lucky kind of girl. She’d fucked up a number of times, but it was never a big deal. That bitch Erica has done this to me. I’m going to enjoy killing her. Demon giggled.
“I need to get this head to Erica.” Demon sat in her chair. She kicked up her heels and left her hiding place.
Demon found Tea Williams working on a space hauler with a robot. Demon tossed her the head of the late senior captain.
“Need an extra head to fix that?” Demon laughed.
Tea screamed.
“Take that shit to Erica!” Just for fun, Demon punched Tea in the mouth. Not too hard. Just for fun. Demon ran off laughing.
#
Erica stood in sickbay trying not to freak out. Her younger sister Jessica Williams had just told her that Grandmother Audrey was dead. Demon had given her grandmother’s head to Tea. Who would do that? What are we going to do now? Will her mothers agree to give Demon Martha as long as the assassin leaves Guinevere?
“Erica? Are you okay?” Jessica asked with a soft hand on her armored arm. Jessica was crying.
“I…okay. I guess,” Erica replied. “Shit! Shit!”
“I know.” Jessica hugged her.
Dodo Williams walked into sickbay with seven security officers and guards. Everyone was armed with a blaster rifle. “You need to take a break, Erica.”
“But-”
“That’s an order.”
“Yes, ma’am.”
“Please, dear.” Dodo rubbed Erica’s shoulder, though it was covered by battle armor. “Get some rest.”
Erica nodded and left with Jessica. She found her friends at her quarters that she shared with Tilly. Tilly, Lynna, Keiko, and Mindy were all there. Jessica and Lynna helped Erica get out of the battle armor. Erica flopped down on a couch and cried in the arms of her friends.
#
Erica was called to the security chief’s office in SC where Dodo was seated behind the desk. But Erica’s mothers were there too. What would I think if someone was responsible for killing either one of them? Merciful Buddha! Erica turned away to hide her tears that she felt were coming. Stop! Don’t cry! Not now!
Erica didn’t see who pulled her into a loving hug. Sh
e assumed it was her mother Piper, but it turned out to be her mother Alberta.
“How are you holding up, Erica?” Alberta gave her a pat. Piper was on Erica’s left and kissed her cheek.
“Fine. How are you?”
“Fine.” Alberta sighed then coughed.
Erica thought of Martha. Maybe I could hide her somewhere. I could steal a space shuttle. She sighed and pushed away the childish thoughts. I can’t do that. That’s silly. Like something out of a romance novel. This is real life. I have family to worry about.
“What about Martha?” Erica asked. “What are you going to do?”
“I won’t give into that Demon terrorist,” Alberta said. “You…your grandmother would never forgive for doing that.”
Erica hugged her mother. “Thank you,” she whispered.
#
Erica returned to her quarters to find that Azzie and Mitty had joined them. It turned out they were friends of Jessica, and about her age. Everyone there seemed busy and occupied by something.
“What’s going on?” Erica asked.
“We’re helping, silly,” Mindy Bettencourt told her. “We’re trying to locate that psycho killer Demon.”
“Cargo worker Risa Williams has been missing since a little before Demon showed up,” Keiko explained. “That makes me wonder what happened to her. Also the ship’s computers send out a standard upgrade to all our tablets every day.”
“Okay.”
“They know if the tablets have accepted the upgrade or not. If they don’t then the tablets are either damaged or missing. This is important for security to know.”
“And maintenance, too!” Azzie added.
“Oh yes. Maintenance too. Sorry.”
“I got her!” Mindy yelled and shook her green hair. “Woohoo!”
“What?” Keiko turned away.
“I hacked into the system and forced my way through a wall or two,” Mindy explained. “I made it in and there she is.”
“You're not supposed to do that, Mindy.” Keiko frowned.
“So sue me.” Mindy giggled.
Keiko growled.
“Let’s contact security and tell them what we’ve found,” Erica recommended.
“We can’t,” Mindy said. “Demon has hacked into security and is monitoring them. If we contact them she will know.”
“Damn it!” Keiko breathed out hard. “Okay, I’ll go talk to Dodo Williams in security.”
“Wait!” Mindy said. “I’ll get you a data chip to take to them.”
“I need to get back in the battle armor,” Erica said.
“Let’s do it!” Azzie told Mitty.
“Come on, Erica!” Mitty pulled Erica over to the armor. “This won’t take as long as the last time.”
“We have everything set up now,” Azzie added.
“I was going to say that!” Mitty yelled.
“Whatever.” Azzie replied to her maintenance partner.
Mindy Bettencourt tossed Keiko the data chip and ran.
CHAPTER NINETY-FIVE
Armor versus Ninja!
Erica and Mindy walked into security and Erica was now back in the battle armor. Security was active. Dodo was looking over the shoulders of those monitoring the data screens. Everyone wore civilian armor and carried blasters. Many of them had blaster rifles, too. Erica’s mother Piper was there in armor with a blaster rifle in her hands.
“Ready for the hunt, Erica?” her mother asked.
“More than ready, Mom.”
“You going too, Mindy?” Piper asked.
“If that’s okay, ma’am.” Mindy held up her tablets. She was actually carrying eleven tablets. “I think I can keep track of that bitch.”
“Fine by me, but its Dodo’s say. This is third shift,” Piper replied.
“Yes, ma’am.”
“Just stick with me, Mindy.” Keiko patted Mindy on her slim shoulder. “I’ll keep you safe.”
“Thanks, Keiko.” Mindy looked back at one of her tablets. “I need to pass out these tablets that I fixed to not link with the main computers, so Demon won’t be able to see us coming for her.”
Dodo Williams agreed to let Mindy go with them. Dodo divided everyone up into teams. Erica went with Mindy, Keiko and Piper. Mindy passed out the tablets to someone in each team, including one for Dodo who would monitor everything from the security control room with the tablet.
Piper led the way into the Cargo Bay where Tea had been approached by Demon. Mindy pointed at the space hauler that Tea had been working on when Demon attacked her.
“She’s still there,” Mindy said. Keiko patted her back, for Mindy looked frightened.
“Why don’t you wait outside, Mindy,” Piper ordered. “Tell the others that we found her.”
“Yes, ma’am.” Mindy left without a single protest. Erica waved bye.
Erica and the others approached the space hauler cautiously. Some of the special sensors on her battle armor didn’t work. So no infrared or heat sensors. Just visual and audio. The battle armor was old and not at one hundred percent. Erica considered opening the side door to the cockpit, but Piper waved her to the back.
Demon burst out of a back hutch and threw her daggers. Piper and Keiko were knocked backwards. Erica aimed her blaster rifle. Demon held up her hands.
I could pull the trigger. I should do it!
“I’m unarmed, Erica.” Demon’s head was uncovered, but she still wore her ninja costume. “You wouldn’t shoot an unarmed woman, would you? Put the gun down and take me on one and one. You know you want to.”
“I should just kill you, bitch!” Erica yelled.
“Oh come on.” Demon squeezed her own crotch. “Aren’t you the type of Yin that has balls between your legs? You got to be wondering if you can kick my ass or not.” Demon slapped her butt when she said ass.
“Shit!” Erica tossed her blaster rifle away.
Demon smiled and held up her open hands. “Fun time!”
Erica came forward and reached for Demon’s hand. Demon’s other hand flashed around and gripped the back of Erica’s neck. Erica got a hold on it. Demon hit her in the ribs. Erica hooked Demon’s leg with her heel. They both went down. Demon rolled Erica and herself on their sides. Demon’s knee smashed into Erica’s ribs.
Arrgh! Can’t imagine how bad that would have hurt without the armor.
Demon’s knee came up again. Erica wrapped her leg around Demon’s leg to stop her. The two women wiggled and rolled around the floor. Each attempted to get a hold or lock on each other’s head or limb. All of this happened so fast that it would have looked like a blur to most humans.
Demon slipped back and kicked Erica in the shin. Erica circle around Demon with her fists raised. Demon giggled. She flung a spinning jump kick at Erica. Erica dodged it.
“Actually that’s not ninjutsu, but some Tae Kwon Do I picked up in India!” Demon laughed. She backed up and waved for Erica to follow. Erica came. Demon front kicked her knee.
Demon dodged Erica’s blows and scored a roundhouse kick to the side of Erica’s knee. Erica hit the woman’s face with a backfist, then followed it with a cross punch to the nose. Demon stumbled and shook her bleeding face. With confidence, Erica came after her, but Demon kicked Erica’s legs out from under her.
Erica got on her knees to stand. Demon stomped on the back of Erica’s damaged knee. Demon wrapped an arm around Erica’s neck. Erica squeezed her fist and smashed backwards with her elbow. Erica pulled back quickly and struck again with her elbow. She heard the other woman’s breath blast out and felt it on her neck. She had hit Demon in the solar plexus, so she did it again.
Erica rolled away and tried to stand. “Shit! Aaah!” Stabbing pain shot through her leg. She had forgotten about her damn knee. Data readouts flashed in front of her face. There was damaged to her armor and body. Mainly the knee area. Duh.
“Did that hurt your knee?” Demon giggled. She walked over to Erica’s blaster rifle and picked it up.
Erica saw her
own weapon pointed at her face. This isn’t good.
“Why don’t you hop over to the space hauler.” Demon waved the rifle. “I want you to see what’s going to happen.”
Erica stood on her good leg and hopped or hobbled over to the back of the space hauler.
“Do you know what that is?” Demon pointed at a sphere with about a twenty-inch radius. It had a counting clock on it with a flashing light.
“No.” Erica was starting to guess.
“It's a bomb.” Demon laughed. “I don’t think everyone on Guinevere will die, but over half will.”
“Why?”
“It's fun!”
“You’ll die too.”
“Sure.” Demon giggled. “Big boom for all of us. It will be fun!”
“You're insane!”
“Duh.” Demon screamed and dropped the blaster rifle.
“I think this dagger is yours!” Piper came up behind Demon. She had just shoved Demon’s dagger into her back. Piper fell down clutching the bloody wound on her chest.
“Mom!” Erica screamed.
Erica hobbled forward and jumped on Demon. She pounded Demon’s face with armored fists. Over and over. Leaving Demon’s face a bloody mess.
Demon smiled. She coughed up blood. “Boom!”
Erica yanked the dagger out of Demon’s back then raised it up with both hands. She brought it down with all the force of her muscles and the power of the battle armor. The dagger punched through Demon’s forehead with enough force sink half of the handle through the skull.
Erica leaned back and crawled away from Demon. “Mom?”
“Th-the bomb?” Piper eyes were shut.
Erica slammed the rear hatched of the space hauler. Erica hobbled into the cockpit.
She switched on the comm. “This is Erica Williams inside Cargo Bay. Medical team is needed here! Piper and Keiko are seriously wounded. Also, there is a bomb in a space hauler. I need to fly it off of Guinevere! Open the damn doors! Open them! I need to get it out before it—”
“This is Captain Cindy Williams, Erica!” I’m getting the doors to the cargo bay open. Medics are on the way. Be careful!”
“Okay.”
Erica switched on the space hauler. Nothing happened. “Shit! No!” She tried again. It started. “Thank you, merciful Buddha!”
The Star Traders: The Star Traders Series Volume One Page 21