Metal Boxes

by Alan Black

  “Agent Marlbrough,” Maggot said. “I forwarded a packet to your inbox as soon as we broke hyperspace. You should have the background information-”

  “I am still waiting for my answer,” Stone interrupted. “You are Agent Marlbrough? Are you in charge of this EMIS office?”

  “Well, I am the office supervisor for third shift.”

  Stone looked at Wright and then at Maggot. “No wonder we are not getting answers. Agent Marlbrough, is the Agent-In-Charge on station? Yes? I suggest you call him. No, don’t look at Agent Storovitch for help. Either you call your boss or I will.”

  The man laughed. “You! You’re just a midshipman. You probably wouldn’t even know what database to call up to find his number even if it was listed.”

  Stone held up his p.a. He pushed one number on the screen. Every p.a., speaker and desk comm in the room emitted a high-pitched squeal. The noise unnerved the drascos. They rose up on their hind legs, stretched their necks forward and waved their arms about. Their hissing made a counterpoint noise to the electronic feedback. He pushed another number and the squeal stopped.

  “That’s enough, girls. Jay, down,” Stone said.

  “You know,” Wright said, “no matter how many times I see them do that it makes me want to pee my pants. Agent Marlb…whatever your name is. Please answer Mister Stone and comply with his requests.”

  “You are a navy full commander,” Maggot looked at Wright in shock. “You need to take control of this young man.”

  “No, Maggot,” Wright shook her head. “This ‘young man’ has saved my life more times than I care to remember. At this moment I trust him more than I trust you.”

  Stone looked at Marlbrough ignoring Wright and Maggot. “Agent, I do not need to call your boss directly. I will broadcast a message to every speaker on this station and every ship within comms range. Do you think he would hear that? This by the way, would really mess up Agent Storovitch’s investigation. It would alert the bad guys of our presence and allow them to get away. Or would you rather make a simple call?”

  Marlbrough turned to one of the other men. “Bob, get Brady down here.”

  “Good,” Stone snapped. “Now can you answer my question about holding my friends? Or do we need to wait for your boss to get here to refresh your memory?”

  “Yes, we have a couple of marines in holding for the murder of a couple of navy officers.” Marlbrough said. “We have Lieutenants Vedrian and Hammermill in custody. We took them from the Periodontitis prior to their departure.”

  “Agent Marlbrough, who are they accused of murdering if you don’t mind my asking?” Wright asked.

  Marlbrough checked his desk computer. “First victim was a Navy Full Commander Danielle E. Wright and the second-”

  “I am Navy Full Commander Danielle E. Wright, Agent. You have my bio scans available for verification I assume. Therefore, you can verify I am who I say I am.”

  Maggot nodded. “It is true, Marlbrough. You will have to verify, but she is who she says she is.”

  “Then your prisoners could not have murdered me, correct?”

  Marlbrough looked at Stone, “And you would be this Midshipman Stone?”

  Wright grinned, “I do believe he is catching on, Agent Storovitch.”

  Marlbrough called across the room. “Bob, call Brady and tell him to hurry down here on the pronto. Jake, get me the bio-scanner out of the storage room and…dang it I am out of people to order about.”

  “Okay you three, or five, counting whatever those things are. Wait here.” He looked at Stone. “Mind you, I am asking not telling.”

  It did not take long for Jake to bring out the bio-scanner. It took longer for all four of the agents to figure out how to work it and get Wright and Stone verified.

  “Sorry for the delay,” Marlbrough said. “Usually Susan or Ivana do this kind of stuff for us.”

  “The delay is okay with me,” Wright said. “I am not sure how two marines are going to take being held on false charges longer than necessary because you couldn’t figure out a simple scanner.”

  Marlbrough had the grace to blanch, “Um yeah, I mean yes, ma’am…sir.”

  Senior Agent Brady rushed into the room saving Marlbrough from further embarrassment. Two women followed close on Brady’s heels. The women saw the drascos and bolted to a back room slamming a door behind them. Brady glanced at the armor covered drascos and looked away as if it was something he saw every day.

  “Maggot,” Brady said, “good to see you. Your visits always seem to bring a little excitement into my otherwise dull and boring life.”

  Maggot laughed, “Is that why you dumped me on that sink hole of a station?”

  “Brickman’s isn’t so bad,” Brady laughed. “You get to do your own thing without me looking over your shoulder every day.”

  “True-” Maggot began.

  “Gentlemen,” Stone interrupted, “can we get down to the business at hand?”

  “Didn’t your momma teach you better manners than to interrupt your betters?” Brady glared at Stone.

  “Yes she did,” Stone grinned, “and I wouldn’t interrupt any betters but my grandpa, my grandma or my mama isn’t here. It’s just us and you are illegally detaining two friends of mine in your holding cell.”

  Brady looked at Maggot. “Maggot, is that true?”

  Maggot nodded, “Yes, sir. And I need both of those marines for my investigation.”

  Brady looked at Marlbrough, “Do you concur?”

  “Yes, sir. The bio-scans match. This is Commander Wright and Midshipman Stone: the murder victims.”

  “Okay,” Brady said. “Get those marines out here on the double.”

  While they waited for Marlbrough, Maggot filled Brady in on where he was on the investigation. They did a quick review of the evidence gathered so far.

  “Do you have your writ?” Brady asked.

  “Yes, sir,” Maggot said. “This was too complicated for me to handle on Brickman’s Station.”

  “That’s a fact,” Brady nodded, “and it is too big for this field office as well. I agree you need to get the Periodontitis to Lazzaroni Station under lockdown. You know if this does go all the way up to Admiral Shalako it is not going to be easy getting him to go there and submit to an investigation. Do you have a way to do that? No, don’t tell me. Just tell me what you need. I can give you Bob and Jake plus we will supply you with-”

  A marine war whoop interrupted him. Hammermill burst into the room and bellowed.

  Stone glanced at Peebee and Jay but Hammermill’s noisy entrance did not startle them. They just looked at him as he grunted and swung his arms around.

  Allie followed on a little more sedately. It was obvious she was angry and ready to hurt someone.

  Agent Brady began, “Lieutenants, I am…” but his voice drifted away when he realized no one was listening.

  Hammermill saw Wright first and whooped again. He vaulted a desk and picked her up swinging her around like she was a little girl. He set her down and kissed her long and hard on the lips. He whooped again.

  Allie pushed him aside and grabbed Wright in a bear hug. “Thank the heavens you are alive. I’m…um...is Stone?”

  “He is right behind you,” Wright nodded.

  Allie spun around.

  Stone grinned at her. “Hi. Did you miss me?”

  Allie grabbed him and held him close. “Don’t you ever run off and get yourself killed again.”

  Hammer laughed, “Yep, she was a wreck for a week until they arrested us for killing you. Since then she has been so pisssss…” His voice trailed away when he saw Jay and Peebee sitting quietly. “Holy flying turd in the punch bowl! What are those?” He spun back to Allie. “I love those things. Can I get one? Come on, Lieutenant Vedrian, I’ll feed it every day and take it for walks and everything.” Without waiting for an answer he spun back around. “What are they? Are they pets or sentient? Hey if you’re sentient no offense.”

  Stone reluctantly release
d his grip on Allie. He walked over to stand between Jay and Peebee. He said, “These are baby girl drascos from Allie’s World. They are pets until we find out different.”

  Hammer stared and leaned in close to get a better look. “Babies! You mean they get bigger? Waaay fantasteek! How much bigger?”

  Stone looked at Wright and shrugged. “I don’t know for sure.”

  “Females maybe grow to twice this size but males can get big enough they wouldn’t fit in this office,” Wright said.

  Hammer whooped. “Great! I wanna get me a male. I love the armor stuff.”

  “They come from where?” Allie asked.

  Stone blushed.

  “We found them on an unexplored planet,” Wright said. “Mister Stone named the planet after…well, after someone we know. Allie’s World.”

  “You named a planet after me?” Allie looked at Stone.

  Stone grinned, “It seemed appropriate at the time. I hope you don’t mind.”

  “Mind?” Allie slipped up next to him. She kissed him long and hard on the lips. “Mind? No one has every named anything after me much less a whole planet. Is it a nice planet?”

  Stone nodded. “It is the prettiest place I have ever been.”

  Hammer pushed against Allie’s shoulder. “Come on you two get a room. The important thing is: can I get one of these drascos?”

  “I don’t know,” Stone said. “I am not even sure how I got these two.”

  Hammer said, “Can I pet one?” Without waiting for an answer he grabbed the survival knife Stone had strapped into his boot. He had the knife before Stone could even flinch. He reversed the blade and tapped Jay’s breastplate with the handle of the knife. “Good solid steel.” Jay did not flinch when Hammer tapped the face plate with the butt of the knife. “Solid. It won’t hold up like marine ceramics and must be heavy as a brick but I like the looks.”

  Jay reached down and clanged her wrist and on her chest plate. Peebee followed suit. Jay huffed air across Hammer’s face. The marine did not flinch.

  Hammer laughed. He reached out a hand to pat Jay’s shoulder.

  “Stop,” Stone shouted.

  Hammer froze in mid-reach.

  Stone untangled himself from Allie. He wrapped an arm around Jay’s head. “Lieutenant Hammermill, I want you to breathe into Jay’s mouth.”

  Hammer pointed at the drasco. “That’s Jay?”

  “The one with the blue swirly-things on her breastplate is Jay. The one with the red flames is Peebee. They are sisters.”

  Hammer leaned in and blew his breath into Jay’s mouth.

  “Allie, you too.” Stone gestured to Jay’s mouth. “It is how they identify friend from foe.”

  They repeated the process with Peebee.

  “That will let you get close…sometimes,” Wright said. “They can be temperamental. Sometimes they let me get close and sometimes they don’t, but without the breath thing I wouldn’t try to get too friendly.”

  Hammer stepped up next to Jay. She swiveled her head around to watch him, not shifting her body.

  “Hey, Vedrian,” Hammer shouted. “Check out the tail stud; too much!”

  “They aren’t much for petting except around the head and upper neck,” Stone said, “they have pretty rough hides, but you can touch her. Just be careful or you will leave skin behind.”

  Hammer absentmindedly tossed Stone’s survival knife back to him. Before Stone could react to jump out of the way, Allie’s hand flashed out grabbed the knife and slid it into her uniform belt.

  “Thanks,” he said.

  Allie kissed him on the top of the head. “Anytime, Stone.”

  “Sorry to break up this reunion,” Maggot said, “but we have work to do. Everyone is going to have to change uniforms and we don’t have much time.” He started to hustle people off to various rooms. When he put a hand on Stone’s arm to move him toward a back room the drascos reacted.

  Jay stood. She had to duck because of the low ceiling but she seemed to expand as she hissed, shaking her arms and waving her head in warning. Peebee planted all four feet on the deck and whipped her tail over her head pointing her chrome tipped tail spike directly at Maggot’s chest. She slapped her breast plates with her wrist guards.

  Everyone, including Hammer, took a step backwards.

  “Well crap me!” Hammer said.

  Stone shook Maggot’s hand off his arm and slowly placed his palm on Peebee’s tail spike avoiding the ring of sharp studs around the base. He pushed gently guiding Peebee’s tail toward the ceiling.

  “That’s enough, Jay,” he said.

  Jay sat on her haunches, but kept her neck stretched to the ceiling. Her head swiveled back and forth. Stone realized she was keeping one eye on Maggot all the time while the other eye scanned for additional threats.

  “Well, Maggot,” Stone said, “You may be my parent’s friend, but even Jay and Peebee realize it doesn’t give you the right to try and manhandle me about.”

  “Um…sorry, Mister Stone,” Maggot said backing even farther away from the drascos. “I was just trying to hurry things along. We do have a limited time window and I need to get you into the other room to get you into a proper uniform.”

  “Yes, Agent Storovitch, I will try to hurry. I think my drascos have answered your question about how they will respond as my bodyguards. I think it best you have my uniform brought out here. I will stay with Jay and Peebee.”

  “You are going to change clothes in my lobby?” Brady asked.

  Stone shrugged. “Would you rather I leave my drascos unattended in your lobby? I certainly won’t guarantee the condition of the room when I get back.”

  “Okay.” Maggot said. “I will have one of the resource ladies bring you a uniform.”

  Brady shook his head. “I don’t think-”

  “Okay,” Maggot interrupted. “Senior Agent Brady can bring you a uniform.”

  It did not take Stone long to get into a clean new midshipman’s dress uniform. It was complete with all of the appropriate patches, badges and bangles matching his last posting. It was complete with the requisite tab listing his station as third watch warehouse three-whiskey for the U.E.N.S. Periodontitis.

  In short order Commander Wright appeared in her dress uniform. Vedrian and Hammermill both in marine dress blacks followed her. Their medals and commendations jangled on their chests. Stone glanced down at his bare chest feeling comparatively naked.

  He grinned at Allie and pointed at the impressive display of medals and ribbons “Nice chest.”

  “That is the last time you make that old joke, Mister Stone,” she said with a smile.

  “What about mine?” Hammermill said. “I will trade you my fruit salad for one of your drascos.”

  “Not a chance, Hammer,” Stone said. “I am not sure I could trade them if I wanted to. Besides I think I might need them pretty soon.”

  “So what is next, Commander Wright?” Allie said. “You two have got us released from the slammer and the agent back there said our records would be expunged. We are clear to get back to our duty station, but…” She let her voice trail off pointing at her dress uniform. “This is not exactly the outfit I would select for a working marine.”

  “I am not sure it is up to me to say,” Wright replied.

  “I can’t fill you in completely,” Stone said, “someone killed us and blamed you for it. I intend to find out who and do something about it. Agent Storovitch, Maggot, has a plan to get us back on board the Ol’ Toothless. I kind of volunteered your help. Is that okay?”

  Allie looked shocked, “You volunteered our help in finding who tried to kill you and who got us locked in a tiny cell? You have the gall to ask if that is okay?”

  “Ooyah!” Hammer shouted. “You would have to lock me back up to stop me.”

  Allie nodded, “Amen, brother.”

  Stone grinned, “I really thought that but I didn’t want to assume-”

  They were interrupted by the appearance of Maggot. He was wear
ing a marine two-star general’s uniform and was followed by Bob and Jake. The agents were in work coveralls wearing badges of the Emperor’s General Accounting and Tax Office.

  Stone decided not to ask how they generated uniforms so fast. The resource ladies must have the same type of arts and crafts equipment Aunt Ruth had in her backroom.

  “Let’s go,” Maggot said. “You have said enough, Mister Stone. I will brief this team on the way to the shuttle docks. The Periodontitis is holding for us, but they won’t wait forever. They have a schedule to keep.”

  Stone shook his head, “We are not quite ready.”

  “What do you mean? This is my investigation, Mister Stone. I set the tone, the time and the place.” Maggot turned red in the face as his voice rose.

  Peebee’s tail whipped up over her head. Stone did not stop her.

  “I told you before, Maggot. I know you need me more than I need you so don’t keep pushing me,” Stone said through gritted teeth. “I want Allie and Hammer armed and Commander Wright armed too for that matter.”

  “Armed?” Maggot shouted. “They are dressed as honor guards for a general, you young pup. They are not going into combat.”

  Stone said, “Don’t shout at me, Agent Storovitch.”

  “Come on, Stone,” Maggot said, trying to calm his voice. “Firearms are not indicated in this type of welcoming ceremony. How do you think we are going to get everyone on board? We sent a message to Admiral Shalako to expect a marine two-star general for transport to his next station. Admiral Shalako will hold his departure for a person with higher rank but he won’t wait forever.”

  “Why marines?” Allie asked. “I know every one-star general and above on the marine database and you aren’t one of them.”

  “Check your p.a.,” Maggot said. “I think you will find I am officially who I appear to be. I think you will find I don’t have to ask you to volunteer to aid me in my investigation. I can just order it. That is just a side benefit. I chose to be a marine general because that will get me a marine welcoming party. I need to be able to speak to Major Munos as soon as possible.”

  “Yes, sir,” Allie said. She glanced at Hammermill who looked up from his p.a., nodded and shrugged. “At your command, General. And his name is Numos.”