by Keith Martin
“I will. This is so nice. It is so much better than those we have from Vandenberg. I want you to thank everyone who had a hand in making this suit for me. It’s perfect.”
Hackett was strapped into her seat again. “Commander, have your Suit-Up Commander contact us and we will send new suits for all personnel.” Then they strapped in the last woman to come in, bowing to her slightly as they turned to go.
Hackett was so busy readying the ship for flight, she didn’t noticed this act of subservience.
The hatch seal warning light switched from red to green, they were again ready for flight. “All systems are green Commander.” Hackett informed him. “All thruster lines pressurized and ready.”
“China Mission Control. This is G-3 loaded and ready for tow. Over” Con Man radioed the tower.
The tow unit was on its way out, before the tower could react to his call. “G-3 would you like a second tow unit. Over” The controller joked. She was watching the tow unit being connected with the front landing gear of G-3 as she returned Pete’s call.
“Thanks Mission Control. We are now under way. Thank you for not pointing out the obvious. Over.” Pete shot back in his defense. He really liked these people. They liked their work, and made him feel at home here. He watched as the landscape passed by and he knew he wanted to see this place once Earth was cured and he could walk in the warm sunshine... with a billion women all to himself.
As the nose of the ship lined up with the runway he switched all control over to Hackett. “Well girl, you up to this?” He wasn’t looking for an answer. He knew she was ready. He was going to put her at the controls as much as possible.
“China Mission Control, This is Hackett, co-pilot onboard G-3, requesting clearance to leave this beautiful country, and to return as soon as possible. Over.”
“It has been nice having you here Hackett. You’re clear all the way. Tell Con Man he needs to wake up and train you before you’re training him. This is China Mission Control, over and out.”
“Copy that Mission Control. This is G-3 over and out of here.” She hit the thruster’s throttles and started down the runway. Slowly giving it power until she had the ship at ninety percent, and could feel the wings making the ship lighter than air. She pulled up hard standing the massive ship on its tail and rocketed into the sky. “Request permission to cut time to S.M.B. Commander?”
“Granted.” He gave her leave to fly.
“Do you doubt me?” She asked; not waiting for an answer, she added more power to the thrusters and began pulling the ship into a dangerously low orbit to gain maximum slingshot power from Earth gravity.
He decided to support her because she was doing it anyway. “Granted Pest!” He said as the g-forces planted them deep into their seats. The meter read nine G’s as they pulled out of the slingshot, she pointed the shuttles nose directly towards the Moon, still feeding the ship more power.
* * *
Steve found his brother out at the Hanger Dig Work Shack. “I have good news, and bad news.” He started as he explained what was going on down on Earth.
At first Ton was pissed. He wanted to start training his new labor force, and any delays just set him off. “Nothing ever comes off that damn rock on schedule. What does it take to make them understand we are fighting to save our race? Do they want humans to go extinct?” He asked angrily.
Steve was used to his brother’s passionate outbursts. He even baited him just to pull his leg sometimes. He knew it was better than letting the frustrations build inside of him. Steve calmed him by putting things back into perspective. “They are on the way. It’s not like they just had five hundred women in storage, packed on shelves waiting to be shipped up at a moment’s notice. You will have them within three days, at the outside. There are thirty-two on the way up now and thirty-two more right behind them. So look at the good side?”
“What good side Steve? This is all a nightmare!” Ton barked at his brother.
“Well…. even someone as ugly as you should be able to find a wife that will put up with your homely face out of five hundred women.” Steve let him have it broadside, all guns, and he aimed at the waterline.
Steve’s little joke did the trick, Ton had to try not to laugh, and he was fast on his feet. “Shut it young man, you’re so ugly if we let them have one look at you they will all go running back to Earth! Then I’ll miss my chance for a happy life for sure!”
Steve didn’t even react to his comeback. He was not going to give his brother any power to play with this time. He just called up the shipping manifests, reading off what he found on them. “We have forty-nine sections of conveyor on the way up.”
“That will speed things up considerably.” Ton commented.
“And three more loaders, jackhammers, four hundred spike heads, two blast hole drills, explosives, seventy five hundred pounds of hand tools. Shianne is getting her thruster and a bunch of parts, and the chow hall is receiving a re-supply order. Plus there are a total of sixty-four personnel on the way up. All in all it’s a good load.”
“Plus the sixty-four women, will be a big help to start.” Ton admitted. “Are they signing their contracts there, or up here?”
“I’m not sure; Linda and Jill are handling all of that. I will touch base with them and let you know what their plans are. Those two have it all worked out.”
“Kool butthead. Quarantine is going to get a little crowded. Have you figured out how we are going to house them in there?” Ton always had a way of seeing things needing doing.
“We are setting up bunk beds as we speak. It’s going to be like a can of sardines in there for a few days. Otto has a crew starting to ready a larger unit for the influx that’s on its way up. It will be online within a few days. He wanted to know why we hadn’t thought of it!”
“It’s time for chow lets…” Ton let Steve know how he felt about Otto’s question.
“Pizza!” Both shouted as one. Now that they had a plan, they had Ben take over the dig and started their way back to the base. The transport carried them through the two airlocks into the hanger at S.M.B. were they dismounted and continued on foot. As they made their way down the main hall, Ton got a call from the guard who was watching the Keys. “I’ll be there in ten.” Ton assured him, and then called a transport for the long drive to the main chamber. He wanted this headache out of his way as quickly as possible.
* * *
Margaret was totally spent. She had pushed herself to prove to Ton that she understood just how bad she had messed up. She was never going to blow it that bad ever again. She was ashamed of herself for allowing David to slap her daughter, and for standing beside him when he wanted to stop Connie from her pilot training. She was done playing stupid to keep on his good side. It was time for her to show the Commanders she was a working member of the S.M.B. crew.
She kept at it for six hours at first. At the end of that session she couldn’t even lift her arms. The guard delivered her food and water while David was sleeping. He still hadn’t lifted a finger.
She ate quietly, knowing David would have demanded she share her meal with him if he woke. That she would never do again. She was thinking it was divorce time. She wanted nothing to do with him anymore.
Linda and Jill quietly walked up and sat with her, one on each side of her. Linda took her empty plate and the guard intercepted it instantly freeing her hands. She then took Margret’s hand and looked into her eyes. “We have to talk for Connie’s sake!”
“Yes Chair Linda?” She responded respectfully.
“You have to divorce him” Jill cut in.
“She’s right, you know you must for her safety” Linda added.
“He would never let me go. He would hurt me or Connie first.” She was tearing up with fear.
“Have you seen Vic? Otto? Ton? Chris? Fred? Let’s not mention the thousand miners they command? What do you have to fear?” Jill pointed out the obvious things that could impart a sense of security about divorcing David.
>
Linda put it to her more mildly. “You have a choice. You and only you must make it. If you choose wisely, there will be no end to the help you need for getting away from him. It will happen like a switch being flicked, mark my words!” She noticed David starting to move. “We have to go. Think on this.”
* * *
He woke just in time to witness Linda and Jill walking away. “What did those two bitches want?” He spat on the floor.
“Do you think I will stand here and allow you to call Otto’s wives bitches?” The guard walked up, raising his hand as if to slap the snot out of him, which sent him cowering to the end of his chain. “I think the Ladies Chisholm have great advice Mrs. You rest now and give it some thought.”
* * *
She took a six-hour nap she was so spent from the work. She had a nightmare of her life with David. The daily abuse and the constant stalking as she lived a life with him. In her dreams Connie grew of age and he got started after her.
She woke in a sweat of fear and went back to work to make the thoughts stop through the screaming pain in her hands. Her arms felt like lead from the effort, she had to keep smashing him over and over again until he could never touch her again.
The new guard was impressed with her efforts. It was easy to see that she was pushing herself to the limit driven by anger. Her arms were not used to this type of labor, and her hands were bleeding in protest as she pushed on. He called for Ton and he ordered her to stop as soon as he witnessed the blood in her gloves. He knew what kind of determination and willpower it would take to endure the pain she was going through. As a true miner, he was proud as hell of this woman.
Upon his arrival, the guard reported everything that had been going on. Ton was no greenhorn; his own eyes read the story at a glance. He picked up David’s hammer and found it still in new condition. It hadn’t touched rock yet.
He took one look at Margaret’s hands and ordered she be taken to the mining shack for the Doc to see her. “Thank you Ton. You’re a good man.” She said, as the transport whisked her away.
Now Ton turned his full attention on David. “Show me how to use this thing.” He tossed the sledgehammer to David’s feet.
“I will not. You can go to hell before I swing that even once.” David hissed in reply.
“Let me give you some friendly advice. You’re going to bust this rock into gravel. So it is best if you just do as I tell you and get it behind you. That would be so much better than me calling Otto down here. I don’t think that man likes you!”
“I don’t care who you call down here. I will not lift a finger for you and you can’t force me to do a damn thing.” David declared confidently.
“I have given you your last chance. Will you take it or do you want what’s behind door number two?” Ton asked smiling. He loved to play his little games at times, and this was going to be one of those times.
“You go straight to hell Ton. You will never make me lift that hammer.” David said as he arrogantly crossed his arms taking a seat on the stone bench then leaning back to relax.
Ton had to laugh and the guard joined in. Both knew David was surely mistaken. “He doesn’t know me so well!” Ton winked; with a smile filling his face he pulled his phone from his pocket. “Could you please bring a loader to the flower bed right away… Yes where Mr. Keys is working… Great…I’ll see you in a few.”
Ton didn’t say a word as he waited for the loader. When it arrived he unlocked the chain from the benches leg, flipping it across the ground. “Get up, so I wont have to drag you David.” He walked his prisoner a few paces away from the bench, making sure there were no comforts for him to use.
He directed the operator to lift the stone and place it on top of the chain. He gave it a good two-handed pull; to be sure it was indeed stuck beneath the weight of the stone. Satisfied with his efforts he called for David’s dinner. He didn’t say a word to David. He just kicked back chatting with his brother and the miners while a crowd was gathering for the show. The loader driver was one of the women training to supervise loader operators when they all went to Mars. He was glad to have this time to chat with her and to establish a working bond between them. He knew friends made the best supervisors in mining operations. That strong bond would save lives in touchy situations.
Terry sent down a server with a heaping plate of pasta and meatballs. Steam rose from the meal and the pitcher of water was so cold that condensation dripped from its sides.
“It’s about damn time you bastards fed me.” David spat as he reached for his meal.
Ton pulled it out of his reach, placing it on the chamber floor, 5 feet past the reach of the chain that held him captive. “You want to eat, you work. Any of my miners could reach that plate before the steam stopped rising from it. There it is David. It’s your choice now.” He turned to the guard. “No bathroom, no nothing until that rock is gravel.” He gave his orders.
He asked for a ride, and the loader operator took Ton and Steve to the mining shack as the miners laughed their approval of his incentive program to make David work.
David’s screams of fury followed them all the way across the chamber floor. Word was spreading about David’s predicament, and miners were showing up to watch the show.
* * *
Ton found Mrs. Dr Craft working on Margaret’s hands and one of the women of the mining crew was helping her drink a soda with a straw. The look that Dianne gave him was enough to tell him how she felt about the condition of Margaret’s hands.
“How long will she take to heal?” He asked gruffly. He was still pissed off. No mater what she had really screwed up big time, and she was just paying the piper.
“Two weeks or more…she will not return to work until I release her. And I will be talking to Otto about this Mister!” Dianne was livid.
“You will not Mrs. Craft. Ton was doing what he was ordered to do. I chose to continue working even after my hands started to bleed. I did this to myself. I was not going to let Ton down. I had to prove to him, and to the Commanders that I understood just how badly I messed up.” Margaret stated with conviction. “I EARNED THESE BLISTERS.”
Ton liked the heart of this woman. He was going to make room for her on his crew and keep her under his wing. “As soon as the Doc is finished, you are to take Mrs. Keys to her quarters. She is to pack… She is to be assisted in packing and then moved to a single unit here in the chamber. The empty unit next to hers is to be assigned to Hackett. I want you to make sure someone is with her twenty-four seven until she is healed. Then she is to report to me personally to get her new work assignment.” He turned his attention to Margaret. “You are a miner now. I will be your Commander from now on. Agreed?”
She gave him a hug that surprised everyone. The tears flowed freely as she asked for his forgiveness. He pulled her away at arm’s reach, saying there was nothing to forgive. She had earned his trust, and she had proved her strong will. Her slate was clear in his book.
“Don’t make me have to see him again.” She begged.
“What did you learn?” Ton asked in a fatherly tone.
She sucked in a cleansing lung full of air. “Never let anyone touch my baby again, and obtain a divorce from that man.”
“Congratulations. You learned well.” He turned to the woman miner who was helping out. “Take her to the chow hall, and help with dinner. Then get her, and Hackett moved into their new quarters. Let Barry know where Hackett’s place is so she will know as soon as she gets here. Or just tell Fred. I’m sure he would give her an escort. I don’t want Margaret alone until Dianne gives her the all clear. In fact, just have their housing unit cleared of their personal goods completely. I have a plan for that unit now.”
“You’re the boss.” The miner was on her way with Margaret in tow.
“Will that do Dianne?” He asked innocently.
“Just be glad I love you so much or I’d have your ears Ton. Her hands are very badly damaged. She won’t be able to do anything for herself for
days.” She was done scolding him, and then smiled. “That woman is one determined lady…and a divorcee.” She winked at him and collected her bag. “A good woman Ton!” She started for her transport. “A woman to take command of a man’s house Ton.” She was giggling as she took her seat and drove away.
Ton turned to the miners in the shack and growled. “Not a word, not one word.”
* * *
The shuttles both touched down on the Moon without incident. The cargos were unloaded, the women taken to isolation for their quarantine. One of the miners had volunteered to spend the time with the women so that he would have first chance at finding a wife. It seemed to be working for him. One of the women had found him hard to be away from, and she helped him take care of all the women during their stay in the quarantine. She looked to his every need sticking by him like glue. She spent a lot of her time keeping the others away from him. He liked the way she proved she was going to be his woman. He asked her to be his wife after ten hours.
One of the women he noticed was standoffish. She had a laptop and she spent all her time on it. For someone who had moved to the Moon to start a new life, she seemed to be spending all of her time back on Earth working on her old life. He asked her to join the group for some drinks after dinner. But she declined nicely and thanked him for the thought. She was wearing a hooded cape and it was easy to see she was trying to keep herself hidden from those around her.