“You’re not the only one.”
“Tuck?”
“I’m worried too.”
“Tucker, Cassie can take care of herself. You told me that, remember?”
“It’s not Cassie I’m worried about.”
“Huh?”
“I’m worried about Vlad.”
“Vlad?!”
“Yeah, whether or not he can handle her,” Tucker smirked.
“Vat about Captain Glazkov?” a heavily accented female voice floated through to Salvage-5.
“And who are you?” Tucker asked, extending his hand.
“Lieutenant Yakovna, Russian Unified Nuclear Zpecialist...you can call me, Slavena.”
“Huh, R.U.N.S. Really?”
“Yeah, really.”
“What? Is that the running joke? That’s what you do if you don’t do your job right?”
“Huh?”
“You have to RUNS away...”
“Very humorous, Colonel...now,” Slavena, the tall and slender brunette said, “I’ve been zent here by 1st Lieutenant Rasputin to azzist you on this zide of operations.”
“Sorry?” Tucker said, looking over at Samuels and then back to Slavena, “I didn’t ask for any help on this end.”
“Vell, Colonel, It vould appear that Captain Glazkov does not trust you...zo I am here to keep you, zhall ve zay...honest?”
“Geez, whattya take me for? I mean, this little ol’ ship is no match for your Captain’s frigate...and how many are there in the Russian fleet? Two, three?”
“I just follow my orders, Colonel...and I zuggest you do az vell. Vladimir does not take kindly to mizzed deadlines.”
“He’s really that worried about fuel reserves, isn’t he?”
“I don’t know vhat you are talking about...”
“Sure you do. You know you only have three days of fuel left.”
“...and how do you know that?”
“See? I was right, and I’m right about they’re only being two, huh.”
“There are three...”
“Three?”
“Vell, two...one iz in dry dock...but I have told you too much already...stop it! I vill not tell you more...what about you...how many ships?”
“I never sleep and tell.”
“I never zlept with you, Colonel...”
“Sure...that’s what they all say!”
“You are mad.”
“No, I’m feeling quite pleasant in fact...So...”
“Yes, Colonel?” Slavena answered, rolling her eyes.
Samuels helped Tucker into his suit, pausing with one foot in the air, then stepped inside, “How do you think Vlad will react?”
“React? React to what?”
“To you sleeping with me?”
“He vould never believe you...”
“Wouldn’t he?”
“No! He vould believe me over you.”
She looked over at Samuels, who gave a worried look to add to her anxiety, “He vould not believe you!”
“Tell that to Cassie, er, Major Phillips.”
“What about Major Phillips?”
“He proposed to Cassie...Major Phillips...a few minutes ago.”
“You zaw this?”
“Yes, I was there...that’s why I’m here...needed to give them some privacy, you know...”
“I vill kill the vodnieshka!”
“Oh, so I did hit a nerve, eh?”
“I am a very jealous woman...Vlad and I have... ve have been out here for months...he’s ztill blind to the fact that he haz failed our mizzion.”
“Which is, again?”
“Ve vere zent out here to find the myzteriouz alien zignal...but you blew it up before ve got there.”
“Huh, you were right on our tails?”
“No, it took uz zix veeks to crozz...ve did not have aczezz to the UTS mag-ring back on Earth.”
“Why didn’t your captain return to Earth?”
“Our orders vere extended to continue zearching for new zignal.”
“A new signal? No, oh...no...”
“Yez, a new zignal. Vhat is vrong, Colonel? You look like you have zeen ghost.”
“You know there’s another signal out here?”
“Yez, but ve have been unzuccezzful in locating.”
“That’s when you guys came looking for a fill up.”
“Yez, the ZSMO was inztructed months ago to provide uz vith zupplies, but they left...vhen they read uz on their zcanner, that azz of a man, Kurtiz...he’z the one the Captain vantz.”
“Oh, does he now?” Tucker said as Samuels fastened his helmet’s collar.
“Lieutenant Slavena, you don’t sound really all too happy about your Captain entertaining Cassie.”
“No, I am not happy about a lot of things regarding Captain Glazkov...but like I zaid, I follow orders.”
“’Course you do...so...tell me...how’d you like to ensure that Cassie is returned and the two of you can get on with...getting on...or whatever it is you Russians call it.”
“I am interezted, Colonel...az long az it doez not interfere with finding ZSMO.”
“Come on, Lieutenant, suit up...we’re on the clock, and it’s running. That ring must be repaired.”
“I am right behind you, Colonel,” Slavena said, “I am all about refueling and getting back to Earth.”
* * *
CSMO 10 Hygiea
Location:
Kuiper Belt - Asteroid 52 Europa
Earth Date: 04/14/2065 15:23
Hargrove lay on the floor of the CSMO cell. The sounds of men working abruptly stopped not long after his beating from Kurt and his henchmen.
In fact, all noises aboard the CSMO had come to a halt. He lost track of time and his head hurt. Badly.
The door to his cell cracked open, invading the pounding in his head. He raised his hand to shield the light that flowed around the silhouette of a man who reached in, offering a hand to the lieutenant.
“Who are you?” Hargrove managed to ask through his dry throat.
“Come on, Lieutenant, I’m here ta help ya...it’s O’Reilly...Kenneth O’Reilly.”
“O’Reilly? Geez man...you are a sight for sore eyes...how long have we been down on this ‘roid?”
“Much too long...Come on now, we need to get you out of here...before they find us.”
“Kurtis? He’s the one that put me in here.”
“No...not them...the others...” O’Reilly reached further in and grabbed Hargrove’s hand and helped him to his feet.
“Where’d everyone go?”
“Trust me on this when I tell ya, you don’ not wanna know...we need to get to the cargo bay and take cover.”
“Cover? From what?”
“From them...now come on...I’ll explain ta ya on the way...Captain Hodges is waiting for us below.”
“Hodges? He’s alright?”
“Yes, we’re both just fine...but I cannot guarantee that if you dally any longer, man...now let’s go.”
“Okay, lead the way,” Hargrove said, limping his way with O’Reilly.
* * *
Chapter 12
Salvage-5-Docked w/the Falcon
Location:
Kuiper Belt - Asteroid 253 Mathilde
Earth Date: 04/13/2065 11:30
New Mission Objectives:
ENLIST RUSSIANS TO ASSIST W/REPAIR
FACILITATE REPAIR
NEUTRALIZE RUSSIAN THREAT
FIND CSMO & REFUEL
Secondary Mission Objectives:
DELIVER PARTS & SUPPLIES
CORRECT ASTEROID 253 MATHILDE
TEST JUMP-GATE
Cassie floated in the corridor with Captain Glazkov, “Come with me, Major...I’d love to zhow you my bridge.
“I’d be delighted to see your bridge...Captain Glazkov...but I’d like to make you a proposition.”
“You can call me Vlad...and vhat iz thiz propozition? You vant to follow through and become my bride?”
“
This is awfully sudden, Vlad...trust me, I’m not saying no...but I do need something to help sway me in your direction...if you know what I mean...Captain,” she winked.
“Ohhhh, I zee, Major...”
“You can call me Cassie...”
“...Cazzie, vhat iz it you need from me to convinze you? That iz, if you actually have choize,” Vladimir smiled in return.
“I would like to be on the assembly team.”
“Impozzible!”
“You have to let me do this!”
“Vhy zhould I?”
“They’re going to need all the help they can get to meet this 60 hour deadline. Besides...”
“Bezidez, what elze?”
“I really don’t want you to shoot me...”
“Hahhh ha, ha, ha ha!” Vladimir bellowed, “You cannot be zerious? I vould not zhoot you...unlezz you don’ not chooze to be by my zide, that iz.”
“Look...you can track my whereabouts with the transponder code...come on...whattya say, Vlad?” she said, rubbing her shoulder next to his.
The two entered the bridge of the frigate and he maneuvered to his command chair and strapped himself in, while Cassie held herself in place next to his chair.
“Please? It will go a long way in convincing me that I’ve made the right choice...”
“What about the Commander?”
“Tucker? Come on, really? Him and me? Oh...ha ha, you think we’re an item?”
“It doez appear zo...”
“Well, let me tell you a thing or two about Tucker, er, Colonel Petersen.”
“Oh, do tell?”
“Well, first off,” Cass took a deep breath before unloading in rapid-fire mode, “he thinks that his quick wit is hilarious, truth is we only laugh at his jokes to keep on his good side and then there’s his macho attitude, he’s nearly gotten us all killed so many times and wouldn’t you know it the powers that be always assign us together, it’s enough to make my skin crawl that he actually thinks he’s attractive.”
“I zee, Major, er, Cassie...you zay I can track your every movement zo that I vill know when you return to zhip?”
“Yep...”
“Iz this true, Lieutenant Rasputin?” he asked of his first officer.
Rasputin, a tall blond haired middle aged man turned to address his captain, “Yez, Zir! All zuits are fitted with individual tranzponder codes...ve can track her azzigned zuit.”
“Okay then...Rasputin zays it vill vork...I vill grant you your vish.”
“Oh thank you, Vlad,” Cassie smiled, took his face in her hands and gave him a large smooch on the lips.
Vladimir backed up at first with a start at her forwardness, then relaxed and succumbed to her affection, as the two locked lips.
Then she backed up and winked again, “There’s more where that came from...just you wait.”
“Officer Yanovich! Pleaze ezcort the Major to Nicolaz’s team,” Vladimir managed to say after regaining his composure, “have him relay the zuit code to Rasputin.”
“Aye, Zir! Ma’am, this vay.”
Cassie followed the officer, who didn’t seem to shave on a daily basis, “What’s your name? I mean, it’s kind of hard to keep addressing you as Officer Yanovich.”
“Roman...you can call me Roman.”
“Nice to meet you, Roman.”
Roman remained silent the entire way to the lower deck where Officer Nicolas Otvos was organizing his workforce.
The two officers saluted one another, and then Roman gave Nicolas the instructions.
“Thanks guys,” Cassie smiled, as they fitted her to a suit, “I’m just happy to be a part of this ring repair.”
“The tranzponder code haz been dezignated into our zystem as yourz,” Nicolas said, “I have tranzmitted the code to Razputin...thiz vill be your zuit during the entire project. It von’t be any picnic either...any zign of slacking off by any of my team, they vill be dizmizzed...and you do not vant to be dizmizzed.”
“I wouldn’t think of it,” Cassie nervously said, cracking a slight smile.
* * *
Salvage-5-Docked w/the Falcon
Location:
Kuiper Belt - Asteroid 253 Mathilde
Earth Date: 04/15/2065 22:00
“So...Slavena?” Tucker asked, as he removed his suit, “Have you thought about what we talked about?”
“Colonel, I have, and have come to the decizion that it iz bezt for all.”
“We’ve only got another couple of hours before the assembly teams will be recalled to the Falcon.”
“Don’ not vorry, I have already programmed the code change. I vill make my vay to the bridge to initiate from my ztation.”
“How did Cassie convince Vlad to let her on the team again?”
“Truzt me, Commander, you don’ vant to know”
“Humor me.”
“Zhe begged, then kizzed...the rest I leave to imagination.”
“No...really? She kissed Vlad?”
“Yez, that iz report given me.”
“How very interesting...”
“Here,” Slavena said, coming closer to Tucker, “I kizz you to make even, no? For international good vill.”
“Ah, no...Thanks though,” but it was already too late as Slavena planting her lips to his.
He pushed her away, “Lieutenant Yanovich, please...”
“Zhut up and kizz me,” she replied and proceeded to kiss again.
Tucker pushed off and flew to the other side of the cargo bay, “Heh, heh, you don’t want to do that.”
“Yez, I do commander.”
“No...really, you don’t want to do that...Sam! Buster! Where are you two anyway?”
“Don’ call them down here...”
“Yes, yes...call them down here...Buster!”
“Yes, Commander?” Buster said, poking his head down through the hatch opening, “Oh...I see...never mind...”
“No wait!” Tucker pleaded, “I would like a report on the asteroid position.”
“You’ve never asked me about that before, Commander...”
“Fine...fine...I am asking now, though...” nervously, he turned to Slavena, “I’m asking for a report...we’ll have to... talk...later,” he whispered.
Slavena touched her fingers to Tucker’s lips, “Ah...okay, Colonel. I give you until later.”
“That’s right, Lieutenant Yakovna...later....much, much later,” Tucker finished under his breath.
“Vhat vas that, Colonel?” she asked.
“Oh, nothing, nothing at all...you get that fixed up on your side now and we’ll begin to recall the team shortly.”
“Very vell, Colonel...I vill...talk...vith you zoon,” she winked, pushing off toward the rear causeway.
“Whew, Commander,” Buster exclaimed, wiping his forehead, “That was close.”
“Too close,” he quickly shot back, “How come you’re sweating?”
“Umm, I think someone said it was adolescence...right, Samantha?” Buster called up toward the pilot house.
“Never you mind!” a muffled sounding Sam answered.
“Umm, Commander? Did you really want a SITREP on 253 Mathilde? Cause I have one if you do...but as before, I can wait for a more convenient time.”
“How about a quick overview while I stow my gear?”
“Sure...let’s see...um...okay, I’d have to say we’re in imminent danger.”
“Oh, good...that was short alright,” Tucker smiled at the boy, “feel free to expound on that.”
“Oh, right...sure thing, Commander. So, yeah Imminent danger is defined in section 13(a) of OSHA regulations as any conditions or practices in any place of employment which are such that a danger exists which could reasonably be expected to cause death or serious physical harm immediately or before the imminence of such danger...in this case asteroid 253 Mathilde...can be eliminated through the enforcement procedures otherwise provided by the act...”
Tucker floated in the cabin with his jaw open for a moment, �
�Really? What? You a walking encyclopedia or something? Geez! How do you know this stuff?”
“I’m a prodigy, remember? Oh, and I have a photographic memory too.”
“Swell...I think I’m startin’ to like you wiz-kid...anyway, what is the imminent danger of asteroid 253 Mathilde?”
“It’s shifted course is getting closer to the Jump-Ring’s position...It will collide with the station in under 200 hours.”
“I see...can the station be moved out further?”
“Negative, Commander. If the station is moved, any new arrivals to this asteroid, risk running into the station before they can detect it on scanners.”
“...or the asteroid, if we don’t reset it...”
“Precisely, Commander...very good...I’m impressed,” Buster smirked.
“I can see he’s been taking lessons, Sir,” Sam said, as she dropped through the airlock from the pilot house.
“Very funny, Captain...so how are the boys doing? We about wrapped up out there?”
“The last piece to the puzzle was assembled ten minutes ago...we’re ready to recall the workforce.”
“Okay...the plan is Cassie will fall back, and then disappear inside the ring. Lieutenant Yakovna should be initiating the change at her station now.”
“We can test the ring remotely from here, Commander,” Buster said, “I’m hooking up the net to it now...we can go live for a functional test in 10 minutes.”
“Super, Buster...fine work...”
“Colonel,” a familiar female voice said from the causeway between the Falcon and Salvage-5.
“Lieutenant Yakovna? Is there a problem?”
She turned and closed the air passage to the Falcon, entered the Salvage-5’s cargo bay and swung that door closed. Then she sealed them, breaking the hard seal airlock between ships.
“What are you doing, Lieutenant?”
“I azk you to give me azylum!”
“Did they discover your code or something, Lieutenant?”
“No, Cazzie, er, Major Phillips is izolated from the others...I do not vish to be on that pig of a commader’z ship one more moment longer.”
“What happened? I thought you two were an item?”
“Ve vere until your Cazzie zparked my commander’z eye.”
Salvage-5: The Next Mission (First Contact) Page 12