by John Short
“I'd like that, thanks.” Jon told Phillmma as he shouldered his duffel and turned to walk beside her down one of the connecting tube-ways. “I'll pay for our meal.”
“Fair enough Warrior. I'll even introduce you to a friend of mine who will find you fascinating. Whoever convinced you that no female would ever want to be with you because of your size was a fool.” Phillmma told him as they walked along the tube-way. “If you weren't already marked I'd be all over you myself.” She gave him a sly smile trying to gauge his reaction and was shocked to see his expression of total disbelief turn to one of deep sadness. “Think young one. Has any female other than your heart-mother ever touched you? I can smell her essence on your lips and in you hand. We Dumasian females a have very acute sense of smell.” Pointing over to the entrance to a dark doorway Phillmma said, “Here we are.”
Walking into Jamie's Place was an experience in itself. The place consisted of one large open room with several alcoves along the walls and several rows of tables spread across the open space. In each alcove was a table that could seat six people with padded benches along the wall and comfortable looking chairs at the open sides. Each area was lit by what at first appeared to be candles but on closer inspection turned out to be small dim electrical lights. Along the wall directly opposite from the door was a long bar with easily over one hundred different bottles containing different kinds of alcoholic beverages and sitting in the middle of the bar were five different drawing faucets of beer.
“Let's sit over there” Phillmma told Jon. “I like to be able to see the door. Even though I know this place well, it always pays to be careful. You'd do well to remember that Warrior. Never sit in a public place were you cannot watch the room and also see who comes in.”
When they seated themselves with Phillmma taking the bench and Jon sitting on a chair so he could also see the door he asked her, “You sound like you've had some experience with this stuff. Have you taken part in many bar fights?”
“Let's just say, I've been around the system a few times.” Phillmma answered. “This place is pretty safe during the daytime. Not like some of the dives I've been in on backwater planets. Jamie has the best open sandwich in the entire galaxy. You should give the Nocturnine Boar a try.”
Never having eaten Nocturnine Boar, Jon took a chance and ordered one of the open sandwiches when a pretty female appeared to take their orders. The female was dressed in casual leggings and tunic with what appeared to be exercise shoes on her feet. From her muscular build and lack of any hair on her totally bald head Jon could tell the she was from one of the high gravity planets closer to the sun. This female had not simply shaved her head as some fashion statement, she was naturally bald. Only people from very hot planets had lost their hair to evolution.
“The usual for you Phillie?” she asked.
“Yes please Jasnine. Bring us both a nice Lexonian ale too please.”
“I'll get that right away.” The girl told them as she turned to serve another customer.
“Jasnine is a sweet girl. Its too bad she is stuck in here. Even though her father owns this eatery, its still no place for a young innocent like her.” Phillmma told Jon.
They continued to have a pleasant conversation while they waited for their food to arrive. She told Jon of her time working as the Chief Engineer on several FTL cargo vessels until one particular ship's Captain tried to force her into his bed. She had complained to the guild and the Captain lost his command. It had made her a liability best shied away from with all the other Captains, so she had lost her guild standing. No standing meant no one would hire her to keep their ships running even if she had once been considered the best ship's Engineer alive. Now she owned a secondhand store for old ship parts and a private repair service on the side.
Jon told her about the forests on Haven and the crystal clear lake that his home was built near and how much he had enjoyed sitting on the dock fishing as a boy with his uncle. Then how, when he was older, his uncle had taught him first to fly a small hovercraft and later an FTL shuttle. He told her that he was the youngest person on Haven to ever earn their FTL pilot's creds and how he hoped to one day earn enough to purchase his own ship. When she asked him why he had joined the Peacekeepers, Jon told her about the incident at the Lodge and how he had handled the situation in full view of the security video recorders. He left the part about the Prince and Princess being seated in the same room and in full view of the incident.
“Humm, you could learn to be a smart fellow one day Warrior Jon Connell.” Phillmma told him with a laugh. “All you need is a good teacher.”
“Yeah that's all I need right now, another teacher. You do remember I've just come from six months of nothing but teachers, right?” Jon kidded with the female he was starting to like. He'd need to be extra careful around her. She had a way of pulling his deepest secrets out in the open. “So, have you ever thought about getting back on the ships and traveling the slipways?” he asked to change the subject.
“No, not much more than every waking moment of my life. I hate that shop, most of the creepy ship's Captains I have to deal with and the high fees they charge me just to have my place up here instead of down below. You'd be surprised at how many people buy their parts from me rather than travel planetside where they can get them cheaper. It never occurs to them that I'm getting the parts from the surface and adding the cost to get them up here to my price. Plus a little profit for my trouble.” Phillmma told him.
Just then a tall, thin female with a decidedly sky blue tint to her skin approached carrying a tray with their food. The female looked exquisite with her strangely shaped eyes and her long black hair. Placing the food on the table in front of him the female leaned close, touched Jon's hand, and whispered to him, “Be careful of that one young Warrior. She'll sell your ship for parts to her pirate buddies.” Standing straight she looked over to Phillmma with a huge grin.
“Don't you believe a thing she tells you Lieutenant Jon Connell.” Phillmma responded. “She's still upset because the last good looking guy who showed up here liked my golden fur over her ice cold blue skin.”
“Oh Phillie baby, we both know how much fun I can be once I get warmed up.” the blue lady laughed.
“Warrior Connell, allow me to introduce my dearest friend and roommate, Kelesro.” Phillmma told Jon. “She is who I wanted you to meet.”
“A pleasure ma'am.” Jon said standing up and studying her face for the first time. Her face was thin as was the rest of her body, but where Phillmma was merely attractive, Kelesro was a classical beauty. Her pale blue skin and golden “cat-like” eyes gave her a mysterious look that Jon could not recall ever having seen before.
“The pleasure was all mine young warrior. Most of the males who come in here have the manners of a tree frog in heat. You are a breath of fresh air. Just call me if you require anything else.” she said, winking at Jon before turning to go back into the kitchen behind the bar.
“I hope you're not upset Warrior. I only bring the very best to visit my friends.” Phillmma explained.
“No, I'm not at all upset.” He said as he sat back down and took his meal from the tray before passing the rest over to Phillmma. “I must tell you though I was becoming a trifle scared for a minute. I've never had any female willing to be seen in public with me before, let alone two very attractive females about to argue over me.”
After a good laugh, the pair dug into their meals and Jon decided that Phillmma was right. This place served really great food. He made a mental note to come back here again if he ever got the chance. At least now he knew who three people were on the station. Perhaps he could meet others who were just as interesting as the three he already knew.
They spent another hour enjoying each others company and the Lexonian ales before Phillmma got a call from the docking ports.
“Wrenches here. Who's calling?” Phillmma answered her COM badge.
“Captain Claudi, Commander of the cargo vessel Pluto. Wrenches, were you
able to get those parts I asked for?”
“Yes you over ripe melon. I can meet you at your port in twenty minutes if that's alright.” Phillmma responded. “Are you still planning to deadhead back to Haven? If you are, I have a passenger here who needs to get home in a hurry.”
“Meet us at port thirty on the lowest levels. What kind of a passenger have you got?”
“He's one of your own, heading home on leave from his Peacekeeper training. A young Warrior named Jon Connell.”
“Yes, by all means Wrenches, we'll gladly give Warrior Connell a ride. I'll have his luggage transferred to our best stateroom as soon as he arrives onboard. Pluto out.”
Turning to Jon, Phillmma said, “Come on handsome, you can help me carry the parts for the Pluto.”
“Sure thing Phillie or should I start calling you Wrenches?” Jon asked as he paid their bill using his wrist calc that automatically deducted the amount from his bank account on Haven.
“Only after you have your own ship and need me to fix it after whatever crappy engineer some company hires for you screws it up.” she told him good-naturedly. “A girl has to set some limits though, so if the Peacekeepers give you a ship to command one day, you'll have to take it back to them for repairs.” she chuckled.
The pair continued talking and making jokes as they returned to Phillmma's shop to pick up the tools and parts she would need to repair the Pluto. Then with his arms filled with the parts, his duffel on his shoulder, and her wearing a tool belt with tools sticking out everywhere and carrying a medium sized toolbox, they rode the elevators down to the station's lowest level before going off in search of port thirty.
“Hey there Wrenches!” a short, squat male yelled as they approached. “I am sure glad to see you. Don't think I could have taken another trip with our old ulducers. Its starting to smell really bad down there.”
“When are you going to learn how to properly clean them Cookie?” Phillmma asked the male. “That's what I love about you FTL jocks, you spend so much time in the slips I think all of your brains are still lost somewhere between planets. Warrior Connell, meet the ship's chief cook and bottle washer. I just love those old human titles. No one, including him knows what his name is so just call him Cookie like everyone else.”
“Hello Warrior Connell. Here, give me those things.” he said as he reached for the parts that Jon had been carrying. “The Captain is waiting to meet you up in the command center. Just follow the main corridor around to the elevators and go up to the top. You can leave your duffel with me, sir. I'll make sure it gets to your stateroom, sir. I know my own name Wrenches, its just too difficult for most of you to remember. It’s BOB. B.O.B.”
“See what I mean Warrior? Can’t remember his own name. Everyone knows that BOB is pronounced BeOhBee.” Wrenches joked with a smile.
“Thanks Bob.” Jon replied and wished Phillmma farewell before heading off to find the Captain.
“When the heck is your company going to break down and hire a decent Engineer?” Phillmma asked the cook.
“I don't know, why didn't you just ask him?” Bob asked nodding at Jon's back as he walked away. “After all, he seemed to be carrying these heavy parts for you so willingly and all. You do know he owns this old barge along with two more just like it, right?”
“WHAT! Do you mean Warrior Connell owns Burton and Billy's Transfer?”
“Yeah, but only for the last six months or so. Ever since he turned eighteen and was declared an adult on Haven.” Bob, the cook, told her. “I think he had already left for his training period and his aunt who was holding the company for him went away to Sanctuary right after he left Haven to report to the Peacekeepers. I'm not sure he even knows what all he owns now, but it’s a lot.” They had reached the mounting panels for the ulducers and Phillmma set to work. If she was lucky she could have these things changed out in less than the standard three hours given as the installation time in her manuals on these old style ships. and still make it back to Jamie's Place to find out what Kelesro had learned during their brief contact earlier that day. Kelesro's race, especially the females, could read a person's deepest motives with just a single touch.
Jon left the elevator when the doors opened and stepped into the command center. Looking out over the room, he saw entire walls of computers with crewmen seated at several workstations on both sides. The front of the room was taken up with a huge view screen that currently showed them a portion of the Orbiting Station high above the surface of Lexon II. Then there was a command table standing in the sunken center of the room. Four men stood at the table and they each looked up as Jon entered. Each man politely placed a closed fist against their hearts and bowed to him. Standing there wondering why a seasoned FTL crew would be saluting him, he merely returned the gesture half expecting everyone to breakout in laughter at his lack of knowledge concerning all things relating to civilian FTL ships.
“Welcome to the Pluto Sir.” one of the men who Jon determined to be the Captain said. “Would you care to inspect the ship at this time? I am sorry you found us in need of repairs on your first visit.”
“Should I, I mean I'm just asking for a ride home.” Jon replied.
“Did you receive the message from the main office sir?”
“What message would that be?”
“The one telling you that you had inherited control of Burton and Billy's Sir. This is your ship Mr. Connell. You own her and two more just like her, the Mars and the Venus. They may not be the largest FTL cargo vessels in the sector, or even the newest, but they are certainly the fastest.”
“No Captain, I did not know that I owned this particular ship. Only that the company my father and uncle bought from the Cook's Beer Company then ended up leaving to me, has three FTL vessels.” Jon told the man. “Why does the ship require repairs?”
“Its a non-critical repair sir. We could fly just fine without the fix. Its just no one knows how to clean the ulducers. We pushed them past their useful life spans.” Captain Claudi told him, slightly embarrassed. “The blame rests entirely on me, Sir. I thought we could last for a few more trips before going in for a regularly scheduled maintenance.”
“What is the function of these ulducers on this ship Captain?” Jon wanted to know.
“They filter the air coming from the relief chambers, Sir.” the Captain sheepishly told him. “When they get too dirty the air bypasses them and so do all the assorted odors. It can become pretty nasty, sir.”
“I'll say!” one of the crewmen shouted out which earned that crewman a harsh stare from the Captain.
“Why can't anyone learn to clean the things? Why must it wait for scheduled maintenance periods?”
“We are running on light crews now sir. There is too much that we all need to know for one person to remember about what amounts to changing a set of filters in a specific sequence if they also have a more important job, like actually flying the ship.”
“So why hasn't the Company hired on Flight Engineers?”
“I wouldn't know Sir. You'll have to talk to our comptroller for the answer to that. We always used to have them. Then our old guy retired and ever since the new guy came onboard we've had one cutback after another. Not to mention a bunch of crazy stuff happening with our cargoes. Freight gets counted and loaded and double checked before we leave port but somehow when we come into the Haven system, the comptroller comes onboard for a 24 hour inspection and the next thing you know our delivery comes up short.”
“I'll look into the cargo issue while I'm back on Haven. Meanwhile, would you have any problem keeping Phillmma onboard as your new flight engineer?” Jon questioned the Captain.
“Who, Wrenches? I'd love to have her on my ship. She's really the best damn Engineer in the quad. Word is she won't fly anymore.”
Jon handed the Captain his com badge, “Please have your coms operator fix this so I can contact her, and the other two FTL ships.”
He stood still as the Captain took his badge and handed it over to a
female sitting at one of the workstations who made a few tweaks with a laser driver and handed it back to the Captain, who returned it to Jon. “Just turn the freq adjuster to the right one click to reach us, two clicks for Mars, one click left for the Venus and two for Wrenches or anyone else who is in range. Keep it centered and it will work just like when they issued it to you back at the training center.”
Thanking the captain, Jon turned the dial and spoke normally, “Wrenches? Come in please.”
“Wrenches here. Who's calling?”
“Its the guy who bought your mid-day meal. Can we talk before you leave the ship, please?” Jon asked.
“Sure thing Sweet Cheeks. What say I meet you near the connector tube in an hour?”
“That will be good. I'll see you then, and I'm bringing Captain Claudi with me. There is something I'd like you to consider.”
“What did you do Wrenches?” Bob asked. “Why would the new owner, who didn't even know he was the owner, suddenly want to talk to you with the Captain before you leave the ship?”
“Nothing, I saw this tall, well made male walking the tube-ways all alone and spoke to him. Something any healthy female would do. Then, I took the man to Jamie's Place for mid-day meal. After that we came straight here to the ship after gathering up your parts and some of my tools. Then we met you at the connecting tube. He said he needed a ride to Haven, I said I'd ask the Captain for him.”
“Did you let that blue space witch get to him?”
“Kelesro is no space witch. She's my best friend and she only touched him for an instant. Surely she could not have invaded his mind that fast.” Phillmma defended her friend knowing full well that Kelesro had had plenty of time to understand what motivated Jon Connell.