by John Short
If anybody asks, you can tell them that its standard procedure for us to inspect everything any passenger brings onboard. You'd be amazed how those two little words can make even the mightiest of Kings back down. Keep saying standard procedure at them and they will eventually go away and complain to somebody higher up the chain of command. That chain ends with me! You can blame it on company policy or station administration regulations. Those guards aren't smart enough to know any better, trust me. If anyone gives you too much trouble, call me. I'll handle it.” Jon finished up his instructions.
“Boy will he! You should have seen him handling two of the Royal Guards already.” When Jon scowled at her Phillie added, “I'll tell you boys all about it some time.”
“I've got the Captain running the hull scans now, but even if the regular scans don't find anything I'll still want eyes on before we hit the slip.” Jon told them. Then he asked, “Do we have a pressure suit onboard in a size that will fit me? I'll go out and help do the walk around.”
“The Captain's suit might work for you sir.” Bendy, the other crewman who would be going outside, said. “Phillie could tinker with it and cobble it to get it to fit.”
“Yeah boss. I can make it work for you, but I think maybe you should stick around inside in case we run into problems with any of the other guards or if the Princess demands to see you before she lets me inspect her things.” Phillie did not want Jon to go outside the cocoon of safety the ship provided and venture into the vacuum of space in a cobbled together pressure suit. Too many things could go wrong too fast out there to risk losing the one male she had come to admire. When she told him her fears Jon replied,
“I trust your cobbling Phillie. Get me fitted up before you inspect Lady Satrina's belongings.” Jon told her and as they walked to the cabinet where the pressure suits were kept Jon called back, “Get those guards started coming down here and don't take any crap from them. This ship doesn't move until I'm satisfied its safe.”
Chapter Six
An hour later Phillie opened the last of Satrina's baggage. What she found inside took her breath away. Neatly folded and carefully layered were the most majestic and beautiful gowns she had ever seen and each one was in some strange brilliant multicolored design that spiraled on a silver background. “By the Goddess Princess, these aren't the Royal scarlet. I've never seen this before and I've seen all of the Royal colors.”
“You won't find those among the Royal Houses, or any other Lexonian house for that matter. Those are the colors of House Connell!” Rina proclaimed proudly. “I'm hoping to be able to wear them openly at court soon.”
“They are so beautiful. Why not wear them now?”
“Its complicated.” Rina sadly told her. “Jon is such a stubborn male. He insists that for him to fully claim me as his mate, although it is now his right to do so, might bring me problems should he be injured or killed in any up coming battles he might face while in the Peacekeepers. He doesn't want to leave me used should I be forced into mourning for him before mating with another. Nothing I say will change his mind. Then there is my father, the King. Without his blessings I would be cast from the Royal House. Jon says he knows what it is like to lose ones family and he doesn't want me to experience that kind of loss.”
“What do you think?” Phillie asked.
“I think that he is only half right.” Rina said. “I would not ever wish to lose my family. My mother died when I was but a youngling and that has always caused me much sorrow. To lose my father and my brother would break my heart. I love them both so much.” Rina had to hold back tears at just the thought of something happening to either of them. “As far as leaving me used. Let me only say I can think of no better use.”
"Your mate is different from other males I've known. They would all have wanted me to service more than just their ships if they hired me. I would have been forced to hurt them like I did that slime worm captain on my last ship. All your mate has ever asked for was my best work." Phillie told the Princess with a smile in her eyes. "What I still don't understand is why you're traveling with only four guards and no servants."
"The trip came upon me suddenly. I had planned to stay another week on Haven when I was told I was needed back on Lexon II. The message was very clear that I should come alone. The guards with me refused to let me travel without an escort." Satrina explained.
“Connell to Wrenches!” came an excited call over the com interrupting their conversation. “Wrenches! Answer me NOW!”
“Wrenches here boss, just finishing up with our passenger.”
“I found it! Get you tail up to the main viewer on the bridge! FAST!”
“Going boss. Be there in two shakes.” Phillie answered using another of those little known human sayings that she loved before she closed out her COM and looked to Rina, “Sounds excited, doesn't he?”
“We'd better hurry.” Rina told her. “Two shakes of what?” She asked.
“I don't really know. I read it in a book of ancient human sayings that I found in a book out on Riva 4. Humans had a lot of sayings that no one understands these days. I use some of them because I like how they sound. If you can keep up, follow me.” Phillie explained and then she took off at a flat out run until she thundered out at the coms officer on the bridge, “Patch me through to the boss and get out of my way. He's found something on the hull!” Sitting at the com station, with a slightly out of breathe Princess and four royal guards standing behind her, Phillie spoke calmly into the com, “I'm here boss. What have you got?”
“Put this on the main screen Wrenches.” Jon told her when he had adjusted his helmet camera to show the entire device that he had found attached to the slipdrive housing. “Can you determine what it is from there?”
“Yes, its a disruptive. We used those things to test new engines before they are installed on FTL ships. It should not be there now though. Its not even the right one for this ship. That's meant for a much bigger engine, say a 15-38.” Phillie told him.
“This looks like it’s been put here recently, within the last few weeks.” Jon told her. “There's not enough dust on it for it to have been out here for very long.”
“You're right boss. That's a rush job for sure. Only time we were sitting long enough was when we refueled at Lexon II before coming here. Can you get the cover off?” Phillie was getting nervous. One wrong step and that thing could blast a hole through her engine, not to mention her boss.
“I'll give it a try.” Jon told her. “I see six bolts around the edge. Are those the ones?”
“Yes. Boss. Have you ever worked with one of these before?” Phillie nervously asked.
“Nope, but I've got the best Flight Engineer in the galaxy to teach me how.” Jon answered.
“Boss, come back inside. I'll go out there.” Phillie was getting very nervous now.
“No Wrenches. You tell me what to do. Captain Claudi... get everyone forward of section 25 and close the airtight hatches just in case. Have Bendy stay back to bring me any special tools I don't already have.” Jon ordered.
“You heard the man people,” the Captain ordered, “Start moving people, passengers an crew. Everyone forward of 25 and lock her down tight! Close up everything. Nothing stays open to space in case that thing blasts a hole in our side. If there is even a slime worm's chance of venting atmo, close it off. Now MOVE IT!” As far as anyone had ever determined slime worms didn't vent anything, ever. Born pregnant, they lived their entire lives storing everything they took in until they exploded from over filling themselves. The newly hatched worms went right to work eating the scattered remains of their parent before setting out to over stuff themselves. That's why they were called slime worms, because of the slime you stepped in after they blew up.
“I've got the cover ready to come off Wrenches. Lifting it now.” Jon transmitted to the bridge as he gently removed the cover on the foreign device attached to his ship. Inside was a computerized counter attached to some kind of electrical magnet with a seri
es of robotic hammers. The numbers glowing brightly as they clicked down. It looked like it was set to go off 24 hours into their slip. It would have destroyed an engine, thrown them off the slipway into the vastness of space between systems. They would havee all died. “Are you seeing this Wrenches?”
“Yes sir. That's a timer. Probably wired to a trigger.” she told him. “Somebody sabotaged my ship! I'll fry their balls! Sir. I'm coming out there.”
“No, you're not! You stay right there where you're safe! This thing goes off I don't want you anywhere near it!" Jon ordered firmly. "Now walk me through this.” Jon continued to speak in a steady voice despite his own nervousness.
“Boss you've got to disconnect the timer from the detonator. There should be some small screws holding it in place.”
“I see them.” Jon updated her.
“OK, loosen the screws from the top right corner going clockwise, that's to your right sir. Just loosen them for now to remove any torque.” Goddess this was nerve racking, Phillie thought. She'd like it more if it was her out on the ship's skin doing this dangerous work. That was her boss out there and Princess Satrina's mate. She'd never let either of them down! Jon Connell had taken her away from that piss hole of a repair shop and given her three ships to look after and she was really beginning to like the Princess too. “Easy does it sir, don't loosen them too much until you've got them all loose.”
“I'm here with you Wrenches. Loosening the last screw now.” Jon told her. “OK. There. All screws are now loose.”
“Good, now go back and remove them in the same order that you loosened them.”
“On it.” came Jon's crisp reply. Then the COM stayed silent as he worked until, “Got it! All the screws are out Wrenches. What's next.”
“Very carefully lift the timer until you can see if it has wires connected to it.” Phillie told him.
“No wires Wrenches. I think it just plugs into a slot on the device. It just came off in my hand.” Jon's voice sounded slightly relieved, but was still tense. “Can you see anything else I need to worry about?” Jon made sure that he positioned the camera to give her the best view of the entire device.
“Leave the cameras on, but turn the lights off Boss.” Phillmma instructed. “Let's check to make sure.” Jon carefully adjusted himself to keep the camera in position as he turned the three high intensity lamps off one by one. After the third light went out some kind of red blinking light was clearly seen from underneath the device. “Boss, that first timer was just a dummy. The real timer is still active and it’s under the thing. We may have to abort the flight to get that thing removed.”
“Can I just cut it off?” Jon asked.
“It would be easier to cut away the entire hull panel than to try to remove that thing.” Phillie told him.
“Then that's what I'll do. Once it’s off the ship we can take our time getting to the slipway while you and Bendy come out here and replace the panel.” Jon told her as he ignited the plasma cutter from his tool belt.”
“Sounds like a plan there Sweet Cheeks.” Phillie told him. Now that they had found the danger and were about to remove it, she felt like she deserved to have some fun.
“DARN IT Wrenches! You make me wish I believed in the Goddess.” Jon barked.
“OH Boss.. why's that?” Phillie asked.
“Because if I believed, I would not feel so bad about praying for you to bend over in the engine room and burn your ass on the intermixers!” Jon told her as he began to cut away his ship's outer hull.
“Yeah, real funny Boss.” she stammered as the rest of the bridge crew chuckled behind her. Of course when she opened the mic to speak it picked up the sound of everyone on the bridge laughing, including one female whose laugh Jon had come to know over the last few days.
“Ah, Wrenches, is there a tiny tigress there with you?” Jon asked.
Satrina leaned into Phillie and whispered in her ear. “He calls me that sometimes.” Satrina told her.
“Yeah boss. Near as I can tell though its all teeth and snarls, nothing soft and fluffy about this one. Not that it matters but I like it.” Phillie told him.
“Just keep it safe Wrenches. I'll be done out here in a few.” Jon informed the entire crew. “Captain Claudi... What would be the best way to rid ourselves of our little surprise package?”
“Once you get it cut free, I'll use the parking thrusters to move us away from it. Those are just compressed gases not hot plasma. Then once we're far enough away we can use the engines and swing around. One touch of the mains should be enough to blow it. We might get a little shaken up, but we should be fine. Maybe even hide the explosion from the station this far out.” his Captain informed him.
After 20 minutes of cutting away the outer hull using small, aligned cuts to avoid over heating the surrounding metal, Jon had the device floating free in space about 10 feet from the ship. Funny thing about working in space, nothing has any weight, just mass. Overcome the mass and you could lift a mountain with one hand.
“Captain, Connell here. We're free, ease us out of here. Wrenches, I'm heading back inside. Meet me in the lock.” Jon broadcast.
“Do you think it might be a good idea to make another sweep Boss?” Phillie asked.
“I can do that. After all it’s such a nice day for a walk outside. Gentle breezes and all.” Jon joked. “I'd already walked the rest of the ship twice when I started working that section. If you want me to I will though. She's your ship to keep flying Wrenches. You tell me how you want things handled. I'm working for you now.”
“Give it one more check Boss, then head inside. Anyplace you haven't already checked twice that is.” she told him. “I'll start getting some repair patches ready at the rear lock so once you're in, Bendy and I can get to work out there. The sooner we're patched, the sooner were on our way.”
“Good plan Wrenches. Continuing inspection now.” Jon stated and began to slowly walk over areas of the ship he'd not yet checked twice. Who would place a device like that on a ship already in service and risk the lives of any passengers and crew? Phillie had told him that those things were only used to test new engines and prevent them from slipping. If it had activated itself while the ship was already in the slipway, it would mean disaster for everyone. Jon kept trying to determine if the Princess was the target or his company. Or perhaps the real target was him. Hadn't he suddenly had his leave cut short and been ordered to take passage on this ship from Haven to Lexon II? Hasn't it been him who had spoiled the plans of that corrupt comptroller? Wasn't it because of his recommendations to his board that three of the best Flight Engineers were flying on his ships now despite each of them having been black listed by the guild? Perhaps all three were targets and the killer happened upon a way to take them all out at once. Something about this whole thing screamed out that there was some real power broker behind it, but who? The only good news was that the Pluto had avoided a disaster, this time. Jon determined that these old ships were too easy to tamper with. It was definitely time for new ones. Finishing his inspections, Jon met Phillie at the air lock and she brought him inside. After helping to remove the pressure suit, she asked him, “How bad is it boss?”
“Not too bad Phillie.” Jon reassured her. “I had to cut away three panels to get rid of it. It may need four repair patches to fill the gap. One of the panels I had to cut away was extra long.”
“Three panels? That thing must have been a monster! Well, I'll get her fixed up real quick and we can get underway.”
“Phillie, do you know the surplus yards out near Fossthitte?” Jon asked. “The place where they park all the Military hardware that the council bought and never used?”
“Yeah, there is everything out there from 100 year old ships with maybe 2 hours on their slips to the latest and greatest in the fleet. Its like majorly off limits to everyone except certified buyers. Even has armed shuttles patrolling the place.”
“I'm going to notify Corporate, but start putting together a list of what you
want. I personally want four ships. Remember my plans to have one for myself in a couple of cycles. They should be armored cargo carriers or fully armed carriers without any fighters or shuttles. I figure either of those hull types should give us lots of cargo space and their advanced slipdrive engines should be the best on the market. Plus all the extra electronics and detectors should prevent this kind of thing from ever happening to them. Make sure they are all fully armed. These ships will be supplying the rim planets as well as our regular inner cluster runs. Once you have the list of stuff you want, forward it to Corporate and tell them to arrange passage for you to go look over what's out there and select me four new birds. Can you do that for me Phillie?” Jon asked.
“I can try Boss.”
“No Phillie, there is no trying to this. Can you do it or not?”
“Yes Boss, I'll make it happen. BBITCo will be flying pretty new ships by this time next cycle.” Phillie hoped she had not just bitten off her own face. Jon was asking a lot of her. She already knew what could happen if she didn't come through on something for Jon. Especially something this huge! Replacing his entire fleet of FTL slipships was a major expense! He'd never trust her again if she did not give him the best ships available. She could lose a lot and never miss it, but to lose his trust would devastate her.
“Good girl. Phillie, you be careful outside.” Jon gave her a quick hug before stepping away and looking her straight in the eye. “So tell me the truth. What do you think of the Princess?”