Metal Boxes

by Alan Black

  Maggot waived a hand dismissively at Allie as if the major’s name did not matter. He looked at Stone. “Since my rank is official and way above your midshipman rank, you can forget your wish to have your marines armed.”

  Stone said, “No, they go armed. Grandpa, and Dad for that matter, always quoted some ancient writer named Robert Heinlein who said that an armed society is a polite society. Shalako may or may not attend this welcoming ceremony. Either way I want our reception back aboard the Periodontitis to be polite. Everyone goes armed or I don’t go. There are no navy officers here in my chain of command so if I am forced to I will go find a navy officer and report in to him. Tamvor is not like Brickman’s Station, I am sure I could find some permanent party here.”

  “All right,” Maggot seethed, “but don’t expect to keep exhorting me, young man. Brady, open your armory.”

  Stone said, “I am going to get the drascos up on their containers and I will find enough extra carts to get everyone loaded up. Lieutenant Hammermill, would you find me something appropriate from the armory please?” Without looking back he headed out into the corridor.

  “Grandma would skin me alive,” he told Jay as he patted the container and gestured for her to climb up. “I shouldn’t really be talking back to Maggot. I don’t know why I am so obstinate with him. Aunt Ruth vouched for him so I guess he is alright. Commander Wright seems to like him.” He reached out to push Jay from behind to get her backside up onto the container, but pulled his hands back at the last minute. Jay continued to inch her way up on the container sliding slowly forward on her belly.

  “I really need to get me some strong work gloves to be around you two. My hands are already like hamburger from rubbing up against you.”

  He turned to Peebee. Without a command she leaped onto her container.

  “You know, I really have to try and remember to listen to Maggot. It is his investigation. Still…” he let his voice trail off as he looked around for extra luggage carts. He spotted a few at the junction near a freight elevator and he trotted over to them. They were designed to look like a standard container, each had four sides but without a top. They had the universal connectors so he hooked three together and brought them back.

  “What do you think, Jay?” he asked his drasco. “Put them all behind? Or all in front? No? Okay, one in front and two in back.”

  “Do they ever answer back?”

  He spun around. Allie was there grinning at him. Hammermill was right behind her.

  “No,” he said, feeling his blush start to rise. “It just seems more sane to talk to them than talking to myself.”

  Allie laughed, “I know how you feel. I get the same feeling around second lieutenants.”

  “Hey!” Hammermill said. “I resemble that remark! Say Mister Stone, show me how you hook those carts together.”

  It only took Stone a couple of seconds to show Hammermill which plug to connect to which port. Hammermill repaid the instruction by handing him a small hand-held burner in a holster to strap around his hips.

  “Feel comfortable?” Allie said.

  “Nope,” Stone admitted. “I’ve never fired a handgun in my life except the simulated ones in exercises. I got to fire a couple of rifles in training, but we didn’t shoot them more than a half a dozen times. I guess no one expects midshipmen to do much shooting.”

  Maggot spoke up from the doorway, “Most people don’t expect midshipmen to do what we are expecting you to do either. You just listen to me and we will get through this.”

  Stone wanted to shout back ‘you’re not the boss of me’. He caught himself at the last moment. Instead he said, “I suggest the General and Commander Wright retake the seats they had before. Lieutenant Vedrian, if you would ride drag and Lieutenant Hammermill can take point. Bob and Jake’s luggage can go in the cart right second to the last. They can ride with their own baggage.”

  “Do you have any particular reason for that placement?” Wright asked.

  Stone shook his head. “It just seems to me that if the general is in a hurry to get where we are going, then it makes us look very official that way; sort of balanced.”

  Bob raised his hand. “It is against station regulations to ride on luggage carts.”

  Maggot nodded, “I can’t imagine anyone stopping two armed marines, two high ranking military officers, two of the Emperor’s tax auditors, and two of these drascos. If you were a low paid security officer would you stop this bunch?”

  Everyone climbed aboard their respective carts. Stone took off heading for the appropriate docks; following the map on his p.a. Hammermill seemed to enjoy riding in the front cart, yelling at people to clear the way. When they saw what he was yelling about, they jumped out of the way, ducking into doors, side corridors and pressing up against the bulkheads.

  CHAPTER TWENTY ONE

  It did not take long before they pulled up to the navy docks.

  A Petty Officer glanced at his p.a. He snapped to attention and waved the group into a shuttle area. Stone noticed the man’s patches on his utility uniform indicated he was assigned to Tamvor Station and not the Ol’ Toothless.

  “General,” the man stammered. “I am getting calls from the captain of the Periodontitis, Admiral Something-or-other, to get a move on here so if you could get your…your…entour…your group on board, the pilot is ready to cast off right away.”

  “Thank you, Petty Officer.” He turned to the group. “Let’s not stand on ceremony or keep the admiral waiting. Let’s just get aboard.”

  “No sir,” Stone said before he could stop himself. “Sorry sir, but as a senior officer with an armed escort we need to let Lieutenant Vedrian take command of her escort detail. She can have Hammermill check the shuttle first.”

  Without waiting to be told Hammermill charged into the shuttle with his rifle held at port.

  Stone and the two auditors took the time to move the luggage into the shuttle’s hold. The containers with the drasco food went in under their own power but the auditor’s gear needed to be managed by hand. Stone grunted with the effort. He wondered what they were carrying that could be so heavy but he was somehow comforted to be doing such a familiar and menial task.

  The Petty Officer tried to help, but Stone waved him back. The Petty Officer took the opportunity to wander away to his other duties, or to rejoin a previously interrupted dice game, whichever came first. Stone and the auditors had all the luggage stowed before Hammermill returned from the cabin inspection.

  Hammermill pushed a spacer third class ahead of him. He braced to attention at the shuttle hatch and shouted, “All clear, General.”

  The spacer third class looked a little confused. “General, I am your steward for this short flight. What can I do to help?”

  Maggot said, “Just stand to the side, Spacer, until we get on board then get us buttoned up and on the way quickly.”

  Stone stepped through the hatch, calling Jay and Peebee to follow him. At the sight of the drascos the spacer looked as if he was ready to bolt. Stone moved past Hammermill to the last row of the shuttle. He was not sure where he was going to put Jay and Peebee. Normally there was not any open deck space.

  Peebee solved the problem by climbing onto the last row of seats and spreading out. She braced her feet and plunked her ample behind across two seats. Stone was sure the fabric was not going to stand up to her hide. Jay crawled into another row, wiggling to get comfortable.

  Stone sat in the row just ahead of them. Jay stretched her neck out and plopped it in his lap. Peebee’s eyes peaked over the top of his seat and then slid across to rest her head on top of his head.

  Hammermill took the seat across the aisle. Soon everyone was in and buckled down.

  The steward checked everyone’s harness, but backed away from Stone when Jay raised her eyes to watch him.

  “Mister,” the spacer asked, “should those things be caged and put in the cargo hold?”

  Stone shook his head, “Spacer, I don’t think you have a
cage that could hold them, plus the general is in a hurry. I believe Admiral Shalako is in a hurry as well.”

  “Not to worry, the Old Man won’t take off now that you are on board. If you say those things are okay, then um…I guess it is okay with me.”

  “Thank you, Spacer,” Stone said. “If you would get us moving quickly that would be great. And please ask the pilot to keep gravity at normal since we don’t have straps that will hold down our friends here. And,” he lowered his voice conspiratorially, “the general likes his rides fast and smooth.”

  After the steward left, Hammermill leaned across the aisle and patted Jay easily on the head. “Will these two really be all right on a shuttle?”

  “They were born on a navy shuttle, Hammer,” Stone answered with a wide grin. “This isn’t their first ride. Look, Jay is already asleep.”

  The pilot’s voice came over the shuttle’s cabin speakers. “We are pushing away from Tamvor Station now. We will be making a fast ride to the Periodontitis. We should be there before you know it. Inertial dampeners are on maximum so we should have a smooth ride as well.”

  Allie tried to turn and look at Stone, but she was hampered by the seat restraints. Finally she said, “Screw tradition.” She unbuckled and stood in the aisle.

  “No, Lieutenant…,” the steward’s voice started strong but died quickly when Allie gave him a cold hard look and shifted her rifle from one shoulder to the next.

  She slid into the seat next to Stone. She grabbed his face in both hands and kissed him long and hard on the lips.

  She sighed, looked into his eyes and said, “I am so sorry we argued, Stone. All I could think about was that you were gone and the last thing I said to you was…I don’t remember. It was just mean and uncalled for.”

  Stone looked over at Hammermill who was studiously field stripping and cleaning his rifle. He looked back at Allie, leaned over and kissed her gently. Peebee’s breath huffed across their faces, her head resting on his like a hat.

  “We could replay the argument on my p.a.,” he teased. “No, let’s not. It was my fault anyway. I wasn’t truthful from the beginning and I should know better. I was just afraid you would think I was some spoiled little rich kid just playing at being in the navy.”

  “You are a spoiled little rich kid just playing at being in the navy,” Allie laughed. “But heaven help me, I like you anyway.”

  “I like you too; a lot,” he replied. “And I am glad you came to like me before you found out I had some money.”

  “Who says I liked you before I found out you were rich? Oh, on a serious note: you are really going to have to tell me how you two are alive. No one survives hyperspace in a pod without hyperspace jump engines.”

  Stone said, “Well-”

  “General, we are docking now,” The pilot’s voice over the comms interrupted. “We are the last shuttle and have priority so we are coming to a stop right in front of the marine rank and file and as close to the reviewing stand as I can get. Steward, hatches to undog in five, four, three…now!”

  Maggot unbuckled before the steward could get up. “Son, hold up one minute.”

  “General?”

  “We can’t just get off. First, I need to see Major Numos in here,” Maggot said.

  “Who, sir?”

  “Marine Major Numos, Spacer. He should be the man in charge of the marine reception detail.”

  The spacer said, “Aye, aye, sir. I will get him right away.”

  Maggot held up a hand to forestall the enlisted man from rushing off. “After you tell the major I want to see him, I want to you wait outside until I signal you then I want you to ask Admiral Shalako to come in also.”

  “Sir?”

  “Do it just like I ordered,” Maggot said. “This is just between us, son. I can’t tell you why I need this done in exactly that order but let me ask you: who are we at war with?”

  “Sir,” the spacer snapped, “the Hyrocanians, General.”

  Maggot nodded, “That’s right. And do you know what those two creatures are in the back of the shuttle?”

  The spacer’s eyes snapped to the last row of seats. Jay and Peebee stared back at him.

  “Do you mean…I mean, are they…?”

  “Spacer, I am not saying they are Hyrocanians. I am just asking you a question. I can say those two in the back of the shuttle are dangerous creatures prone to random acts of violence if they are surprised or startled. Do you understand I need you to keep this to yourself and invite the major and then the admiral and only the admiral, just as I specified?”

  “Sir, yes, General.”

  Maggot waited looking expectantly at the spacer, who stared back. “Now,” he said finally.

  “Aye, aye, General.” The man undogged the hatch in what must have been record speed and he rushed out into the shuttle hanger.

  Maggot said, “Pilot, are you on comms?”

  “Yes, General.” The man’s voice echoed through the cabin speakers.

  “First, give me a visual from external pickups,” Maggot said. “Second, get off comms, external and internal. You go dark and silent until everyone has debarked.”

  A video of the docking bay snapped on. Maggot spotted the steward racing up an aisle between facing rows of marines. Their rows were four deep on each side of the aisle. The first two rows of marines were in dress blacks, the next two rows were in combat armor. Everyone was standing silently at attention.

  “Wouldn’t it be easier if we just went up to the admiral and arrested him?” Wright asked.

  Maggot looked at her. “I am not sure that would be easier. Bob, Jake and I might get away with it, but you and Stone are supposed to be dead. Your two marines are known to be locked up for murdering you. One look at any of you and the admiral will bolt. We are sunk if he locks down the hanger. We are sunk if he calls in any loyal security. We need to put the Emperor’s Writ in his hands personally or it loses its force.”

  The spacer raced up the aisle. He slid to a stop in front of a major. The man shook his head and spoke quietly. The enlisted man spun on his heels and raced over to another major. The spacer spoke so quietly the shuttle’s microphones could not pick up the sound.

  “Yes, I am Major Numos,” the man’s voice boomed through the shuttle cabin speakers. He turned to face the reviewing stand at the end of the aisle. “Admiral, pardon the delay.” He spun on his heels and raced to the open shuttle hatch.

  The video watched him step up to the shuttle and rap his knuckles on the metal hull.

  “Come,” Maggot shouted.

  Numos marched straight into the shuttle. He executed a perfect ninety-degree spin on his heels. His eyes raked the shuttle interior. He snapped to attention in front of Maggot. “Major Numos reports as ordered, General.”

  If Numos recognized anyone in the shuttle, and it would have been impossible not to, his face did not show any indication of recognition.

  “Major, I am General Storovitch,” Maggot said. “Do you know me?”

  “Sir, no sir. You were not on my database as of yesterday, but you certainly are listed there today. I have confirmed the validity of your ident with the station’s marine detachment database. You are, as of today, Marine General Storovitch.”

  “What would you attribute to my sudden rise in the ranks, Major? Please speak freely,” Maggot said.

  “Considering the company you’re keeping, General, you are either a sorcerer, a necromancer, the devil himself, or an E.M.I.S. agent. Not that it matters which, General, as those are pretty much all the same thing.”

  “Major, have you ever seen one of these?” Maggot handed the marine a pad. The screen glowed a regal purple.

  “No, General. I have never seen one of those, of course I do recognize the Emperor’s seal.”

  “This is the Emperor’s Writ. It gives me the authorization to become a marine general. I tell you this because I am sure you know I am not who I am pretending to be.”

  “Yes, General, You are too scrawny to be
a real marine.”

  Maggot frowned. “Scrawny? I would prefer wiry, but you are probably right. This writ also gives me the authorization to place Admiral Shalako under arrest and begin an investigation into the events surrounding these people behind me and other such criminal acts as I might uncover. Do you understand that?”

  “Yes, General.”

  “I would like your cooperation to make sure the Periodontitis is secure from sabotage and that we safely get her back to Lazzaroni Station for a full-on investigation. We both know I have the right to order you to do what I need,” Maggot said with a glance at Stone. “However, I have been told recently it might be better if I asked for your help.”

  Numos broke attention and coldly looked Maggot directly in the eyes. “Do I get my lieutenants back?”

  Maggot nodded, “Of course, Major. I would like to borrow them to handle the bodyguard contingent details for Midshipman Stone and Commander Wright.”

  Numos nodded and snapped back to attention, “Yes, General. I am at your orders.”

  Maggot said, “Then as you were, Major.”

  Numos looked at Vedrian and Hammermill. “Are you two all right?”

  “Sir, yes sir,” they said in unison.

  “We need to get the admiral in here,” Maggot said. “I have to place this writ in his hands and get his replacement appointed before we do anything else.” He stepped to the shuttle hatch and waved at the spacer.

  While Maggot and Commander Wright watched the enlisted man race to the reviewing stand, Major Numos stepped back and clasped forearms with Allie. He then slapped Hammermill with an open hand on the back of his head.

  Hammermill rubbed the spot and grinned.

  Numos looked at the drascos. The drascos looked back at him. He looked at Stone. “Mister Stone, I should have let Heller pound you to a puddle back at Lazzaroni Station. You do nothing but complicate my quiet life as a combat marine.”

  “Sorry, Major,” Stone replied. “I would like to say it won’t happen again, but I think it might just get more complicated yet.”