Hammer's War - Forging The Hammer

by James McEwan

  Thad seemed to be lost in his thoughts. This new information raised yet more questions about his background, questions he must answer, but not now. Red thought he might have an opening, and while Thad was distracted, he slowly pulled the drawer open. He placed his hand on a small pistol.

  Thad saw what he was doing out of the corner of his eye, “Nice try Red.” Red looked up just as Thad fired again, this time burning a neat whole through his upper left arm. Red screamed out in pain. “Not so fun to be on the receiving end is it?”

  Archie had been in the cargo hold looking for better clothing for the girls. “Here, these are for you,” he handed over the clothing.

  Freya held up a woman’s shirt. It was about three times too big, “Well bucket head at least they are women’s and there are clean.” The girls really didn’t care, they were just happy to have clean clothes.

  Archie stood there, not moving, waiting for them to dress when Freya spoke up, “Hey metal head, you going to stand there and watch? Get out and give us some privacy.”

  Archie shrugged and left the room. His comm beeped and Thad’s voice came from Archie’s speakers. “I have Red. Meet me in the cargo bay in five minutes and bring the girls, I think they will want in on this.”

  “Will do Sir,” he said. Archie waited until they finished dressing and then accompanied the girls to the cargo bay.

  There they found Thad sitting on a crate. Big Red the once terrifying, pirate, murderer, and rapist was now hanging by his hands with his feet a few inches off the loading ramp. His face was swelling and bleeding from the beating Thad had given him. When Red saw the two girls, he put his head down and looked at the floor. He knew it was over for him.

  “Archie get up to the bridge and take this heap of shit up to about ten thousand feet, and hold it there for me.”

  “Yes Sir I’m on it,” Archie said, leaving Thad with the two girls.

  Thad walked over to the girls, “Ladies, I was going to kill Red for the things he did to me, but then I met you two and I think it’s only fair I give you a chance to avenge your parents.” With that, he placed his hands behind his back and pulled out two .45 cal pistols. They were among the gear in his box, and he felt they were just the ticket for the girls to have their revenge. Thad held them out for the girls. Fiona hesitated, but Freya didn’t waste a second. She took the pistol and pulled the slide back to see if it was loaded, and it was. Fiona then took the pistol offered to her. Standing side by side, the two sisters faced their worst nightmare.

  Red pleaded for his life, “Please, don’t do this, I will give you anything you want.”

  It was Fiona who spoke, “Really?”

  “Really, money, the ship, anything you want.” Red sputtered through tears.

  The girls spoke in unison, as if they were one person, “We want our parents back!”

  Fire leaped from the barrels, as bullets smashed into Red. Blood splattered from him, as bullets tore massive holes in his flesh. Freya placed her shots in his groin area, where they ripped away his manhood. Fiona wanted to shoot him in the face, but changed her mind and chose to shoot him in his arms and legs.

  Red screamed out in pain as each shot punched through him. The girls pulled the triggers until the guns were empty and the slides locked. Both of them lowered their guns and walked up close to Red. Fiona lifted his head and spat in his face. Freya then took her turn to spit in his face. Approaching Thad, Fiona spoke, “We’re done, he is yours now.” Thad nodded his head, acknowledging them.

  The ship's loudspeaker cracked, “we are at ten thousand and holding Sir,” Archie announced.

  Thad walked over to a wall panel and pressed a button, “Good work, now can you put it on autopilot and come back down here. Oh, stop by the engine room and grab the engineer, please.”

  “Be right there Sir,” Archie announced over the speakers.

  In a few minutes, Archie came into the cargo bay with the engineer over one shoulder. “Drop him over here,” Thad pointed to a spot close to Red. He walked over and dropped him on the floor. The engineer hit the deck with a thud. He let out an agonized groan.

  Thad walked over to the control panel and opened the loading bay doors. The rush of wind and noise was almost deafening at first but then calmed. Thad walked to the barely breathing Red, being careful not to slip on the deck, which was wet with blood. He lifted the pirate captain’s head and looked into his eyes, “I thought you would want this back,” He held up the knife Red had left in his chest. Red spit blood at Thad.

  “Time to say goodbye Red,” Thad said as he plunged the knife into Red’s chest, making sure he missed his heart. Red groaned, and his eyes started to roll back into his head. Thad got close to his ear and whispered, “Hurts doesn’t it?”

  Thad pulled out a second knife and cut the rope holding Red up. As his body started to fall to the deck, Thad gave him a push. Red fell backward out the open loading bay door. Thad stood and watched as Red’s body tumbled out of sight.

  Turning to the engineer, Thad said, “So what to do with you?”

  The man could not answer because of the tape on his mouth. All he could manage was a muffled scream, no, no, no,” through the tape.

  Thad bent down next to him, “What’s that? I can’t hear you.” He ripped the tape from the man’s mouth.

  The Engineer screamed and pleaded for his life, “I’m sorry, I’m sorry, just spare me and I will change! I swear it. I will find God. I will help the poor and the sick, anything. Just don’t kill me.”

  Thad picked up the engineer by his shirt collar. He looked over at the twins, Fiona turned away showing she didn’t care what Thad did with him. Freya, on the other hand, lifted an eyebrow and tilted her head towards the open door.

  Thad nodded, “You want to find God, do you? Then you can start looking out there!” He tossed the pirate out the door watching as the Engineer tumbled out of sight. Thad looked back at the Twins, “I guess if God wants him, he’ll save him. Now let’s get you two, some medical attention. Archie, take us home and Call Doc Burton. Tell him to bring Doctor Hammer’s body home, oh and also that I have two patients for him to examine.”

  Archie headed back to the bridge. Thad turned to the girls, but before he could say anything, they grabbed and hugged him tight, “Thank you,” they said, and then surprised him by taking turns kissing him.

  A little startled by the affection, Thad asked them, “Are you two going to be okay?”

  Freya spoke, “We will be fine, but we miss our parents.”

  “I’m sorry I didn’t have the chance to stop him before he murdered your parents,” Thad said, as he pushed the button to close the door.

  Fiona spoke, “You saved us, and for that, we will always be in your debt.”

  Thad knew the feeling, “Don’t worry about it, you ladies have other things to worry about, like what you want to do next.”

  Chapter 10

  They landed the Night Terror on the front lawn of the compound where Doctor Burton was waiting for them. Thad led them into an examination room. Eve was there dressed in a nurse’s uniform. Thad introduced her, “This is Eve. She will help the Doc give you an examination.”

  Eve said to the twins, “You poor things. Don’t you worry about a thing. The Doc and I will have you all taken care of in a jiffy. Now, please, one at a time, step up onto the scanner. I’m sorry to have to ask this of you, but I need you to disrobe so that I can get an accurate scan.”

  “No problem, I hate these anyway. I look like a little girl trying on my old Nan’s clothes,” Freya said stripping off her oversized clothing. Thad had left them to their business, as he had his own business to handle.

  Freya was naked when she heard Eve say, “I can’t blame you, they are just awful. Once I have scanned you, I will have your size and while you are in the shower I will whip up some clothing for both of you,” Eve said, as she flashed up some clothing choices on the screen.

  Freya stepped onto the scanner, “Oh God, a real shower, hot wa
ter. I have been waiting for so long to scrub this foulness from me.”

  The screen changed to a list of scents that could be added to the water, “Here is a list of body scents you can add to your shower.” Eve’s voice said, over the speakers.

  “Sounds wonderful Eve,” Freya nodded.

  Eve explained to Freya that she needed to follow the lights in the wall, which led to the waiting shower. “I took the liberty of laying out Doctor Hammer’s special skin compound that will heal your bruises and cuts, in hours instead of days. When you are finished with the shower, rub this lotion into your injured areas and you will feel better right away.”

  “Ah! Nothing like a woman’s touch, thank you, Eve. Now if you don’t mind, I would like to be alone for a while.” Freya said as she punched up the heat on the shower control pad.

  “I understand. You will find some new clothes waiting for you on the replicator shelf next to the sink when you are done. Now, I’m off to scan your sister.”

  “Thank you, Eve,” Freya said as she stepped into the hot shower. Finally, she could wash away the stench and filth. She took a washcloth and began cleansing her skin. As the hot, scented water ran over her body, washing away the stench of confinement, Freya finally relaxed. Suddenly the young woman realized, all through their ordeal, she had tried hard to be strong for her sister and herself. She had never allowed herself to think about the fact she was a human being too, who had suffered a horrible trauma. The emotion overwhelmed her, and when the tears finally came, it was a half an hour before she could stop weeping.

  Thad was on the pirate’s ship looking through the box of his old belongings. He held up a lightweight black body suite. It was a kind of high-end body armor, which somehow felt familiar to him. He set it aside then he picked up a hat, which he turned over and over in his hands before slipping it onto his head. Ah, that felt good, he thought. In the bottom of the case were two antique pistols as well as an array of other weapons. He placed everything back into the case and closed the lid. Part of him wanted to find out more, but he remembered he promised his father he would live a good life, one dedicated to helping people. This box could only bring problems and he knew it. “I have closed the lid on that chapter of my life,” he said out loud. He picked up the case and gave one more look around. Seeing nothing else of value he left the ship. He went to the garage to see Rhonda, “Hey Rhonda can you fly this bucket of bolts remotely?”

  “Just a second Hun, let me check” The A.I. blinked out for a few seconds. “You betcha, it is an old system, no A.I., but enough of the systems are automated, so I can fly it anywhere on the planet.”

  “Good, fly that piece of shit out to the desert somewhere and overload the power cell. I want it blown to scrap.” He said as he placed the box on a shelf, not intending to open it again.

  “No problem,” the screen flickered again, and he felt the ground tremble as the Night Terror took off for its final flight.

  Back inside the house, Thad found Doctor Burton coming out of the surgery, “What’s the skinny, Doc?”

  “I just finished looking over the scans, and I have to say these two are tough kids, for sure. Freya was badly beaten, but nothing rest and good food can’t fix. Both of them are malnourished and suffering from dehydration, but they will make a full physical recovery. However, even though it is not my area of practice, it is the psychological recovery I’m worried about. I’m sure Eve can download counseling programs to help them.”

  “Thanks, Doc. Doctor Hammer would be pleased with your work, I’m sure,” Thad placed a hand on the Doctor's shoulder.

  “Thanks, Thad. That means a lot to me. Speaking of Doctor Hammer, I had his body moved to your private morgue.”

  “Thank you again, Doc. Can I ask Eve to get you anything? A drink or maybe something to eat?” Thad asked.

  “Not tonight,” a tear ran down his cheek. “I’ll drink to Hammer’s memory some other night. Tonight I think I would be crying too hard to enjoy it. So if you have no further need of my services, I’ll make my way back to town. I’m sure you will need some time alone.”

  Thad said nothing, nodded and waved farewell to Doc Burton. He turned and walked to the morgue.

  Doctor Hammer never really used this room for anything other than storing experiments needing low temperatures. Nevertheless, he felt every medical facility should have a morgue. “I bet he never thought he would end up on his own,” Thad said quietly, as he pulled the heavy insulated door open.

  Closing the door behind him, he pulled up a stool and sat down next to Doctor Hammer’s body. It was dreadfully cold in there, and not just because of the cooling system. “It’s done they are all dead, all but one, the one who killed you. The Sheriff has that one for now, I plan to go get him later and turn him over to Eve. You know she is really torn up about losing you. I know you would not approve of my kind of justice, or letting Eve hurt any human being, but I feel it is the only way to make it right. I promise you, I will do no harm to anyone ever again. I’ll do my best to only do good for mankind.” He reaffirmed his promise and pulled the sheet up over the body. Thad gently kissed Doctor Hammer’s forehead. He left the room, after programming the bots in the morgue to clean and prepare the body for burial.

  Thad walked into the dining room to find Eve had prepared a fine spread of food for everyone. He did not feel like eating, but when he saw Fiona and Freya walk into the room wearing matching form-fitting emerald green silk pajamas, he changed his mind.

  “I’m starving!” Freya said. “Look at all that food. I can’t remember the last time I had a real meal.” She picked up a plate and started piling it on.

  “Hungry I see, do you mind if I join you?” Thad said as he picked up his own plate.

  She laughed at him.

  “What? Did I say something funny? Do I have something on my nose? Oh God, don’t let it be something on my nose,” he laughed.

  “I’m sorry. It just struck me as funny, the man who saved me. My hero, who cares for me and feeds me, has to ask to sit with me. Of course, you can sit with me. I would be amiss if you did not.”

  Fiona grabbed Thad’s arm, “I’m sorry, but my sister has a talent for understating, and let me be clear, it is not optional. You will sit with us. We wouldn’t have it any other way.”

  Thad smiled, “Well okay then.”

  They filled their plates and sat down at the table. The attending bot brought over a tray of drinks. “What would you like?” Thad asked as he passed his hand over the bottles.

  “Oh a good red wine please,” Fiona replied. Freya smiled and nodded her head.

  Thad poured out three glasses and over dinner and wine Thad told them about Doctor Hammer. He also related the story of how Red and his crew robbed, beat him, and left him for dead. They, in turn, told him about themselves and their family.

  The evening was growing late. “Well, you two won’t have to worry about those guys ever harming anyone again,” Thad said, refilling his glass.

  “Thad is it wrong I shot Red, and then watched as you tossed him to his death, and feel no remorse?” Freya asked as she downed another glass of wine.

  “I’m not sure I’m the best one to answer that question, but I would say, after what you went through at his hands, if you did feel remorse, I would want to have your head examined.”

  Fiona threw her head back and laughed, “Didn’t you just do that?”

  Thad laughed, “I guess I did.”

  They all had a good laugh. After dinner, Thad showed them to their rooms and bid them good night. Neither of the twins would let him go until they gave him a good, long, deep goodnight kiss. When Thad retired to his room, he laid down on his bed, his head spinning, as he replayed the day’s events in his head. He was soon asleep.

  Eve smiled, “See Archie, I knew the sleep aid in his food was a good idea.”

  The following morning after breakfast Thad left the twins with Eve for a session of clothing design. Making his way to the garage, he fired up the sand cr
awler and headed for town.

  Chapter 11

  Max woke up in jail. His head felt like someone had stuck it in a vice and spun the handle. He looked around but didn’t see anyone. His mind felt foggy. His memories of the last night began to return, as well as the pain of his shattered teeth, “Shit! He did it to me again.” The pirate stood up, but the room started to spin, so he sat back down, “Whoa, not a good idea.”

  The heavy metal door separating the cells from the office clanked as the locking bar swung to the open position. The door opened and the Sheriff entered the holding cell area.

  “Hey copper, don’t I get a phone call or something?” his shortened tongue made it hard for him to talk.

  The Sheriff was carrying a food tray, “Here’s your last meal, I imagine.”

  That got Max’s attention, “Last meal? What no trial? Where is my lawyer? I want a lawyer, damn it!”

  The Sheriff set the tray on the food shelf in the barred door, “Well you are lucky to be alive. The rest of your crew are already dead.”

  “What? All of them? Red? Everyone?” Max fired off the questions, but his poor mind was spinning faster than the room was. “So why am I still alive?”

  He pushed the tray through the food shelf to Max’s side, and shrugged his shoulders, “I don’t know, I guess Thad has something special in mind for you.”

  “What did I do to piss this guy off so bad?” Max was having trouble remembering all the events.

  “First, you and your crew beat him nearly to death and left to die in the desert, but I think the real reason he has it in for you specifically, is that you killed his father.”

  Those words hit him like a sledgehammer, and he remembered the old man he shot yesterday, “Oh shit!”