13 Degrees of Separation

by Hechtl, Chris

  “Is that why you wear a bed sheet?” Mairi asked, picking up her drink. She'd heard about AI, but hadn't known any until now. She felt a little giddy about talking with one. For ages people had whispered about the constructs, and how they could know everything and do things organics couldn't do. It was a mix of reverence and awe that had infested many. She too had it, but constant exposure with Clio and the paperwork she usually dumped on Mairi rubbed most of that hero worshiping off... fast.

  Clio's eyes narrowed. “It's called a toga.”

  “Okay. Funny sheet name.”

  “Toga. You know what? Look it up sometime. Kids these days,” Clio grumbled and then blinked out.

  “Whatever,” Mairi sighed, glad to be alone again. She picked up the TV remote and clicked the wall screen over to the news. “Let's see what's on,” she said, sitting back with the tuna in her hand, fork in the other and smiled. All was right with the universe again.

  Chapter 4

  Ralph was tapped to hire two new prospects when they came in. They just didn't have the time to do a formal interview with the entire staff, everyone was too busy with their own things going on. Ralph felt distinctively uncomfortable but grimly determined to rise and meet the challenge. He didn't want to disappoint Alice after all.

  Both lads were clean cut, Jake was a bit older and more reserved. Unlike Harif he was in a clean suit and didn't bounce around the bar. Jake's head swiveled around when Ralph talked to Harif, he could tell the lad's greenish hazel eyes took everything in. He had glasses on, probably a holdover from living on the planet. Their medical staff could correct his eyesight when they had time.

  He had brown hair, straight and ear length. Harif had black curly hair and black eyes. He put on an air of innocence that didn't fool Ralph for a moment. Behind that innocent act lurked a joker.

  Harif was the only one with some training they could use, but all of it was on paper. He has a mechanics license, which was the most important thing. He'd admitted to experience in his family's garage on Antigua, but had no space experience. His mechanical prowess was therefore questionable. From the records Clio accessed he'd just squeaked by on the licensing exam, not really a good sign. He admitted it right off. “Look, I know you're not into training someone, but like my dad said, start em off from the beginning and train em like you want. I'm the man for that.”

  “We'll see.”

  “Just give me a chance. I'll do my damnedest not to disappoint you,” Harif said. The kid's earnest expression made Ralph sigh. For some reason he was stuck with this job, hiring the crew since everyone else was not available. “Fine. Probationary basis. Report to the bay next shift.”

  Harif smiled. “Thanks! You won't regret it!” he said with a wave.

  Jake was 26, new to the station and unemployed. Both young men were eager to be in at the beginning of a business but leery about how far the company could go. “I need a job,” Jake admitted.

  “Jobs a job kid. We'll make it work. Everyone's got bills to pay,” Ralph replied.

  “Yeah but um, when does this pay?”

  “Soon. But if you want pay now I'll work you as a bus boy here if you need the extra creds. It's not much but it'll hopefully get you by until things pick up,” Ralph said. Jake nodded, suddenly relieved.

  “A trainee,” Ralph said, looking at Harif as the young man exited the bar.

  “Hey man, at least he's honest about not knowing. But he's eager to learn,” Jake said. “I'll cover for him if you need it.”

  “You're an unknown too kid. Don't get cocky,” Ralph said, eying Jake.

  “Sure sure,” the young man said, waving the look off. “Where do you want me to start boss?”

  Ralph nodded in approval. “Get an apron and I'll show you. It's not hard, just don't break anything and don't bump into anything and you'll be fine,” he said.

  ...*...*...*...*...

  There were immediate problems with Harif, their so called mechanic. Savo escorted him into the berthing slip and made the introductions. Mairi looked up from the thruster and grunted.

  Harif walked around the Bitch, shaking his head. When Mairi noticed his attitude she looked up in annoyance. He was an ass she thought, he liked to talk the big talk but she realized right off he didn't know squat about ships. He ripped into her, moaning about her half ass work on the Bitch and how he'd have to do it all over. She'd had all she could do not to deck the smug ass. If Savo hadn't been there making the introduction she might of.

  Harif screwed around, puttering, humming, making notes and examining the ship for an entire shift after Savo left. Furious, Mairi had to do the work to at least get the ball rolling. The next morning Freeze and Sparks came by to lend a hand. Mairi was pissed when Harif smugly took the credit for her work. She went off on him, publicly shaming him. He turned red, angry and humiliated as Sparks and Freeze gave him a dirty look.

  “Look, you two sort this shit out on your own time. Right now we've got a bird to get going. Now come on. I'm not a mechanic but I am an electrician and an electronics tech. I'll take that. Harif, you look into the mechanics,” Sparks ordered.

  Freeze waved a hand. “What about me boss?” he joked.

  Sparks gave him a mock glower. “Well, you can either do your usual and stand around scratching your ass, or....”

  “Or you can dive into the life support,” Harif said, catching on.

  “Got it in one kid,” Sparks replied with a nod. He turned back to his partner. “Well?”

  Freeze of course had to have the last laugh. He stood there scratching. Sparks rolled his eyes and raised his screwdriver. Freeze snorted at the implied threat. “I'm going, see? I'm going,” he said slinking off.

  Harif later pulled a series of pranks on Mairi to get even. No toilet paper in the bathroom, gluing the toilet seat up, locking her in the bathroom, juvenile shit. She was cold, knowing full well who was doing it.

  She didn't have any idea about hazing, or how it was performed. Howie however did, and he snorted as he watched the pranks unfold. The more the girl didn't respond the more Harif was encouraged to do something more... risky. He wanted to be on hand to see it.

  Sparks and Freeze took themselves off to rest before their shifts started. They'd ignored the crap Harif had pulled, fully aware that either the girl was going to start hitting back soon or she'd deck him. The kid was cocky, and Freeze wasn't happy about having to catch a few of his mistakes.

  “This sucks,” Mairi muttered, working in the cockpit.

  “What?” Howie asked, coming in with more parts. He was playing gopher, running broken or worn parts to the replicator in their warehouse for rebuilding and then running the parts back. He was a bit disappointed, so far nothing had needed welding or cutting. The few bit of metalwork he had done were limited to banging out some dents in the hull and banging the port support strut back straight.

  “Sticky valve still. I'm not sure what the hell's going on. At this rate we're going to have to replace the entire fuel line on the port side.”

  “Well, now's the time to do it, since the ship's all opened up. Rather do it now then when it's too late,” Howie said.

  Mairi looked up. “Do me a favor, can you check the fuel?”

  “What am I looking for?” Howie asked, setting the new RCS thruster down on a bench in front of the tug. “Here?” he asked, pointing to the port RCS they were working on.

  “Yeah. I don't know what that idiot did. I'm trying to figure it out. He said he fixed it. But my sensors are still showing a clog.”

  “Okay...”

  “I'm going to set it to spray. Stay off to the side and see if anything comes out and what,” Mairi explained.

  “Okay...” Howie said, standing to one side.

  “Here goes,” Mairi said, hitting the key and then looking to her port side. Howie gasped, eyes clenching tight as something sprayed him. Then there was a burp.

  “Duck!” Mairi screamed, hitting the abort.

  A burp of lame licked out from t
he port RCS facing 90 degrees. Howie dived to the side as flames licked the air. The fuel vapors from the fuel all over him ignited. He howled and rolled on the deck, trying to put it out.

  “What the hell?” Savo said, coming in. He swore and turned, grabbing an extinguisher as Harif came in all smiles. “Don't just stand there! Get a blanket and help! Savo snarled, fumbling the extinguisher wand up and pressing the trigger. Foam sprayed all over the rolling chimp dousing the flames. Klaxon alarms were going off. He swore again.

  “What the hell happened?” Savo asked, coming over to check on Howie. Howie looked up and swatted at a few hot spots on his coveralls.

  “Guess I need a new suit,” he said.

  “You're lucky it's fire proof. You okay?”

  “Medium to well done actually,” Howie said rolling onto his back. Savo grunted and stuck his hand out. Howie took it and let his partner pull him to his feet. Savo slapped him on the shoulder. “Damn that was close,” Howie growled. He was glaring at the cockpit.

  Mairi was there swearing. After a moment she looked up with a glare. Her eyes lit on Harif. “You! You ignorant stupid Slike!” she snarled, climbing out.

  Savo turned on the human just as Harif muttered an uh oh and turned. “Freeze mister!” he barked, using command voice. Harif froze and then flinched.

  “Someone want to tell me what happened?” Savo snarled as Mairi's boots hit the deck and started for the mechanic.

  “I'll tell you, this slike messed with my ship!” she snarled, cocking her arm back for a punch.

  “Freeze!” Savo growled again as Harif flinched once more.

  “This true?” Savo asked, getting in between the two. The girl stood there, red eyes gleaming with barely suppressed mayhem. “Is it?” he demanded, turning on the kid. Harif shrugged.

  “You've got nothing better to do so you've got to cause some hate and discontent,” Savo asked, voice cooling. “Nearly getting people killed?” his voice softened into a silky blade. Harif shrugged again but then his shoulders hunched.

  “It's not like that. I had it planned to just poof. She was running a test, and it'd send a half second spurt and then the poof would freak her out. Just a joke.”

  “Just a joke?” Howie snarled, fists clenching. Savo put a hand up between his partner and the kid. The girl was pissed but she didn't have a chimp's rage or strength. The kid just didn't know when to quit. Mairi snarled and returned to the tug.

  “Seemed like a good idea at the time. Too bad she can't take a joke,” Harif said, looking over across the berth to the girl on top of the tug. The girl didn't look up, just flipped him the bird. Harif glared.

  Savo looked at the girl and then back to the young mechanic. “There are jokes that are funny, and pranks that are malicious and borderline criminal. Get your head out of your ass and figure out the difference,” Savo said, starting out mild but then ending in a warning growl as his eyes locked onto the kid.

  Harif's hands came up in front of him. “Ouch.” He sounded sarcastic, like he didn't mean it. Savo's eyes narrowed. The kid was cocky, he thought he had it all figured out. He thought that he was the indispensable man. He didn't realize that he could be replaced. He didn't realize that it was Mairi that was the indispensable woman here.

  What Harif didn't know was that Mairi had started studying for the mechanic's exam. From what Clio had reported after sending her the links to the practice tests, she had a little way to go with the paper side but she had the hands on down cold.

  “Yeah, well, you deserved it asswipe. Clean up your act or I'll clean the floor with you,” Howie snarled, fur bristling. “I owe you for this little prank,” he growled, showing his canines. Harif's eyes went wide at that implied threat. Howie could smell the trickle of urine from the kid. His sphincter was probably tight enough to crush a brick right about now. He snorted but held his brown eyes to the kid until Harif gulped. Finally Howie chuffed and turned away.

  ...*...*...*...*...

  Harif made a half hearted apology to Mairi later the next day. She ignored it, concentrating on the mechanical valve assembly she had in front of her. Since they were doing an overhaul she'd decided to clean up some of the jury rigged repairs she'd been forced to do in Senka, this being one of them. But every time she tried she couldn't get it right. She was getting frustrated, and his interference didn't help. Now he wanted to make nice? She growled for him to leave, hoping he'd get the message. He poked her and she swatted his hand away. Finally she rounded on him. He reached around her and fixed the spring she had been working on. She looked at it and then pulled the lever, watching the action of the valve work properly finally.

  “Thanks,” she said grudgingly.

  “It's my job to be helpful. Sorry we got off to a bad start. I... I guess I was nervous. I... look my family never worked with girls in the shop so I didn't know how to handle it. Dad said women don't know jack about this stuff. It's obvious though you do.”

  “Yeah. Been doing this since I was six,” Mairi said, not looking at him.

  “Cool,” he said, sitting next to her, feet dangling over the side of the tug. “Me too. But I get all klutzy when someone is watching or testing me. I dunno why. It's annoying. I know I know it, but when someone's looking over my shoulder...”

  “You screw up. Right. Quit the crap though, we're on a timetable.”

  “Yeah I know,” Harif sighed. “You hear the Mariah's mischief left?”

  “It did?” she asked, surprised.

  “Yeah. I wanted to go on it. I chose this job instead,” Harif said. “I couldn't afford a ticket and well...”

  “They didn't want to take you on as crew?” Mairi asked. He nodded.

  “Look can we start over?” he asked, hand out. “Harif Mjoln, mechanic in training. Space mechanic that is, I'm pretty good with ground side stuff but this...” he shrugged.

  She looked at the greasy hand for a moment before she shrugged and extended her right hand hesitantly. He caught it and shook it, her arm, and her entire body. He smiled. “Mairi, Mairi Jersey, pilot and flight engineer. As soon as I get passed the tests,” she grumbled.

  “See? Not so hard,” he teased. He turned her hand over and kissed the back of it. She squirmed, now intensely embarrassed. She jerked her hand out of his grip. Something had her going, her ears were burning and she felt butterflies in her stomach for some reason. Like she'd just gone null G or pulled a fast flip. It was weird.

  “Can we at least be colleagues?” Harif asked, black eyes wide. She rolled her own, looking away. He poked her again and her arms went to her sides defensively.

  “Stop,” she muttered.

  “What this?” he asked, poking her again. She laughed as he got past her guard. Her hands came up and she retaliated. “Oh ho!” he laughed, “No fair!” his voice rose in mock fear and laughter.

  When they were finished they sat on the floor gasping for breath. He shook his head and wiped sweat from his brow. “Okay, note to self, don't mess with the pilot,” he said.

  She giggled. “Good idea,” she said.

  “Can I ask you a favor?” he asked, hands on his knees. She looked over to him. “I mean, can you well, help me out? I know I'm an ass, I'm sorry. Can you show me what I'm missing? You are right, we need to get this going,” he said.

  “Before they kick both our asses,” she said getting up. “Come on, I'll lend you a hand. I'm tired of being in this station anyway, I want to get out and about.” He grinned and got up. “But no more pranks!” she growled, rounding on him, one finger raised.

  He held his hands up and shook his head. “No, promise. Scout's honor,” he said. She looked at him suspiciously for a long moment before she nodded once and turned away. He poked her in the rear and then danced off to the small supply closet. She growled but followed, shaking her head in exasperation.

  For the rest of the shift she taught him about the tug and mechanical engineering. He finally understood why she took such an interest in the ship, and why she loved it so. They
trade notes and papers. He'd been going off of manuals. She taught him the basics and encouraged him to learn more.

  At the end of that shift they were finished with the basic repairs. They went over the ship with a tablet, performing a mock inspection. Savo had gotten a copy of the inspection check list, they studiously went over it and then back over it. When they were sure they were ready they called Clio who arranged the appointment for the next day.

  ...*...*...*...*...

  Grimly nervous the next morning, Mairi watched the Veraxin technician arrive and chat with first Clio and then Sparks who had swapped shifts with someone else to be here to represent the company. Harif was nervous, he bobbed a nod and waved to the tug.

  “Ah, here she is,” the Veraxin said, waving his antenna. “You've got quite a nice tug from outward appearance,” he said nodding. He checked the bay with his eyes. Harif hid a grin. Savo had tipped them off that part of the inspection was a Foreign Object Detection drill. If anything was in the bay with the craft, anything larger than a fleck of paint they'd be dinged on points.

  The Veraxin spent the shift poking around the craft, asking them to show him the various systems and test them one by one. He plugged an external computer into the auxiliary port of the avionics and ran a program. When it was finished he chattered absently as he noted the results.

  When he was finished he gave them a clean bill of health and a printed form. “Of course you have preliminary certification for a test flight. Once you prove the craft in space for a period of five minutes you will have probationary status. A twelve hour shift without a maintenance problem will give you your full registration.”

  “Thank you sir,” Sparks said, nodding politely to the tech.

  “No thank you. This has been a pleasant experience. I look forward to your 1,000 hour tear down and re-certification,” the Veraxin replied.

  When he had left Mairi rounded on Sparks who was high fiving Harif. “Thousand...”

  “One thing at a time kid,” Sparks laughed. “Don't worry about it. Right now the important thing is we're green.”