Fool's Gold (The Wandering Engineer) (99 page)

“The
good news is I've got a minimum watch crew for the reactors and life support.
Mostly by poaching some of the engineering students and calling it internships.
There are a few bright spots here and there, some of the crews are pretty tight
and won't jump unless they all do. Hopefully things will settle down soon
though.” He wasn't holding his breath though, a week and things were still in
an uproar. They say time heals all wounds, well, he wished it'd hurry the hell
up!

“Yes,
word of what happened has been all over the station grapevine,” the director
said shaking her head. “It's been embellished of course.”

“That
explains the sick outs and slow downs,” Liam said nodding. “I'm half expecting
strikes next. Reactor one went without a watch for half a shift until someone
caught on.”

“Are
you serious?” the security chief asked.

“I
wouldn't put it past some people. They are pissed. Morale is low. Almost as bad
as where we were before the Admiral came.”

“I'd
say it's not that bad,” Thornby said shaking her head. “But it could be
better.” She admitted and then sighed. “You really stuck your foot in your
mouth Enrique,” she said turning on the station commander.

“I'm
figuring that out for myself thanks,” Enrique said bitingly. The doctor's face
cooled into a frozen mask.

“Sorry.
Sorry,” he sighed hands up in surrender. “We're all on edge. This situation
sucks.”

Matilda
snorted. “Tell me about it. We've had the occasional problem at the college as
well.” She shook her head.

“Can
we do anything about this?” the director asked.

“Like
what?”

“Ah...
spin control? Get the truth out, or at least something resembling the truth
that isn't as damaging? Maybe a public apology to this Angie fellow? Get her
back? Offer her a bonus or something?”

“She's
not coming back,” Liam said shaking his head.

“But,
where will she go?” the director asked surprised.

“To
the navy. She's signed on and is now a full first lieutenant. She'll probably
be fast tracked to lieutenant commander if she works out,” Liam replied. “She
was always one of my best leaders.”

“She
just got her military grade implants yesterday actually. It will be a week
before she reports for duty,” Thornby said smiling.

“That's
right you’re in the navy too,” the director said with hooded eyes.

“Me
too,.” Matilda said smiling and raising her hand. The director turned a
startled look her way. “We're both reservists,” she said, resting an arm over
the doctor's shoulders.

“I
was thinking about signing up as well,” the Veraxin sheriff said chittering his
mandibles. “But my job is a little too involved for me to go off to train or
play marine.” He shrugged. “Besides, being a soldier is a young man's game. I'm
an old fart.”

“Speak
for yourself sonny,” Matilda growled as she straightened. “I can see if the
Admiral can come by to fix your replicator sometime. But he's pretty busy,” she
looked up. “Yes, his schedule is pretty heavy for the next week or more. Then
there is that stupid dog and pony conference the assembly is insisting he
attend.”

“You
have implants?” the director asked, blinking and looking thoroughly surprised
He'd wanted them but they were restricted to military and engineering people.
Not that they really needed them he thought with another pang of envy. Or at
least, not engineers. Not all of them anyway.

“Of
course,” Matilda smiled looking down at her. “All part of being in the navy
sonny. I just put in a request to Sprite for his schedule. She says he's booked
solid for the next two months. She might be able to divert him for a brief fix
sometime soon but she said he's not going to be on station for a while. And
that fix isn't something short and sweet, its at least a shift of work.
Complete electronic rebuid and nanite purge and replace.”

“Oh
lovely,” Liam said shaking his head. “Well, we've got to work with what we've
got then. You’re just going to have to keep the riff-raff away from the other
replicators and out of engineering all together.” He eyed the sheriff, then the
AI. The AI nodded.

“Can
we get nanites from another replicator and transfer them?” the director asked.
Liam shook his head. “Oh, why not?”

“The
moment they are outside the replicator they self destruct as a safety
precaution,” Liam explained. Matilda nodded.

“The
last thing we need is rogue nanites loose on the station,” Thornby said with a
shiver. The others looked at her then nodded. That was a nightmare no one
wanted to ever have to face in their lifetime.

“Can
we get someone else to do it? Make another replicator I mean,” the director
asked.

“Nope.
It's a military prerogative. Only engineers and engineers with flag rank have
the codes. It even takes a commander or higher just to authorize a food
replicator to be made.”

“Oh.
I thought the governor will get the codes?” Enrique asked.

“Oh
he may, if he ever bothers to get implants. So far I've nixed him twice because
of his health. One time was because of a scheduling conflict. The Admiral has
to be the one to pass him the codes so they have to be in the same place during
the operation.”

“Which
isn't going to happen anytime soon,” Enrique said shaking his head. “Is he
avoiding me?”

“Not
likely. Busy. He's a busy man,” Thornby said shrugging. Matilda did the same
but she had a small smile. Enrique caught it and sighed.

“That's
what I thought.”

“Some
people have to learn the hard way,” she said. “You didn't want to listen when
he tried to counsel you the first time. Now here is your penance.”

“So
that's it? We're going to adjust?” the sheriff asked.

Liam
scowled sourly. “What more do you expect? I don't care who they are, I don't
care if they are representatives, tourists, or some busy body on the station.
Keep. Them. Away.” He tapped his finger against the table with each word. “Or
the next person gone will be me,” he shot the look to Enrique. “And I'll take
most of what's left when I go. You need to get your priorities sorted out.
Now.”

“In
other words, do you want a running station, or chaos?” Smithy asked. “Stop
kissing the politicians asses and start paying attention to business.”

Enrique
sat back. “All right,” he sighed. “I... I...” He shrugged helplessly. “I'm
sorry okay?”

“Enrique,
in the end who's opinion of you matters the most? The people who follow you? Or
some bureaucrat on another colony?” Matilda asked softly.

“Well,
when you put it that way...”

Mayweather
looked around the bridge with a possessive air. She rubbed her arm rests and
smiled. "Captain Harris is asking for another exercise if you have time in
dock," the AI said. She frowned and checked her schedule. Harris would
want a rematch. And if by some chance he pulled off a victory she knew she'd
want one herself. She had a couple of days or so before they went to this
conference she noted. Plenty of time.

"Sure,
I can take time to pin his ears back," she grinned and rubbed her hands in
anticipation.

The
AI chuckled. "I'll let him know," Firefly replied.

"Care
for a match now?" she asked. The AI shook his head.

"When
in dock possibly. You sure you’re up to MY levels captain my captain? I after
all, have decades of experience," Firefly asked. Mayweather's grin made
the AI laugh. "All right. We'll be in dock for a day, I can arrange the
time. Just remember, youth and treachery doesn't always measure up against age
and experience."

"Schedule
it after Harris. Cleaning his clock shouldn't take more than a couple of
minutes," Mayweather purred. Shelby chuckled. She turned her predatory
grin on her. "Since Firefly copped out, care for a match madam exec?"
Shelby's chuckle faltered. She looked up with a mock glower to the AI.

"You
set me up," she laughingly accused.

Firefly
bowed. "Well, since Lt Thorn is off duty..."

"All
right en-garde madam captain," Shelby laughed, sitting back in her chair
as the plot formed around her work station.

Mayweather
studied her opponent with pitying eyes. "You ready to get creamed again?"
she asked the next day. They'd agreed on two falls out of three each day.

Harris
gave a disdainful sniff. "Brains over brawn. Brains over brawn." He
made a brushing motion.

"You
keep telling yourself that," Mayweather grinned. “Maybe someday you'll
make it come true. Someday,” she said smugly. He bridled a little.

"Is
this a private party or can anyone play?" Vargess asked.

Harris's
eyes widened then he shot an accusing glare to Mayweather. "You set me
up."

"Am
I too late?" Dan asked coming in.

"You
mean you set me up," Mayweather chuckled.

"No,
we're all here, so we're all ready," Logan called over the link.

“Me
too. I mean, we're ready when you are,” Sergio said eagerly over the vox.

Mayweather
sighed. "It's a convention," she laughed. Thorn looked up then back
down at her station. Janice turned in her seat, opened her mouth, thought
better of it then turned back.

"No,
merely an unscheduled exercise," the Admiral's voice answered. He was in
the shipyard, watching the feed.

She
turned a glower on Firefly. "Naughty boy,
you
set me up," she
accused.

He
spread his hands. "You said you wanted a challenge. And I distinctly
remember you saying something about unscheduled drills."

She
sighed shaking her head. "Me and my big mouth. The Admiral wrote the book.
Hell he even rewrites it from time to time. All right, let’s get this over
with."

“Are
you sure about this?” Dan asked. He was still smarting over that fleet exercise
yesterday. It had been fun pulling one over on Mayweather, but the bitch had
gotten him back rather quickly. She'd kicked his ass three times out of four.

“Just
get it done,” the voice replied.

“I'm
not happy about that. Giving you his schedule is one thing. Getting onto his
launch to upload a virus is a lot of exposure,” Dan fidgeted.

“Is
it going to be a problem?” the voice asked.

“It
may be. I'm not sure. Anything could happen. He's also got his own personal
security systems. There is no telling what is in there until I'm actually on
board. Even attempting to get in could send off a warning signal,” he shrugged.

“Just
do it. No excuses.”

Dan
sighed as the person left. “Great.”

Sprite
looked over to the door and then back to the Admiral. He shook his head and
looked up. “Something I should know about Sprite?”

“Ah.
Lieutenant Valdez needs to talk with you.”

“Indeed.
Send him in.” He sat back as Sergio came in and stood at attention. Irons hid a
small satisfied smile. Sergio had matured greatly over the past eight months or
so. He now sported a classic military crew cut and from the looks of things the
gangly youth was filling out nicely with muscle. His flight coverall sported a
skull and cross bones patch of the newly minted jolly rogers wing. “What brings
you Sergio?”

“I've..
We've got a problem. Ah, ensign Lajoy.”

“One
of your pilots?”

“Greenhorn
sir. One of the new crop, not one of the sleepers. She's well, she was doing
work in the yard for a while before she transferred. We were in a sim exercise
and well apparently she stared a little too long into the dark.”

“Agoraphobia?”
Sprite asked.

“Is
that what it's called?” Sergio turned to the AI then back to the Admiral. “We
just called it the dark.”

“Can't
hack the black. Some people can't,” the admiral said nodding.

“Yes
well, she was an EVA tech. She did good on her colony, but...”

“Deep
space is an entirely different animal. One few can handle. It's one thing to
have a deck or hull, or surface under you, but free floating.”

“Yes
she... ah, had a hard time in a free floating situation.”

“Free
float?” Sprite asked. Sergio shrugged. “Check my last sim. She panicked. We had
to sedate her.”

“Yeah
I'll say,” Sprites eyes shifted back and forth. “I've reviewed the security
footage. Hysterical comes to mind. Definitely traumatized. Doctor Thornby
reports she's catatonic.”

Irons
grimaced. “Okay. So she's a wash out,” he sighed.

“Pity
she seemed to eat up the book part. Perfect grades,” Sprite replied.

“The
last thing we need is for her to break down in a real combat op. And just the
memory of this is going to taint her in fighter ops,” Sergio said shaking his
head. “I'd transfer her to Lieutenant Zek but he...”