Wandering Engineer 6: Pirates Bane (27 page)

Grimly he noted the damage and worked his way around it. He
accessed the system and had it dump carbon dioxide gas into the air, and
listened as the crew’s cries cut off as their oxygen supply was cut back.
Sprite leveled it off to where they would be kept unconscious but alive. “Let's
not put them out of their misery quiet yet,” she admonished. “After all, we do
have quite a few questions for them to answer.”

“Agreed.”

<----*----*----*---->

Sprite checked the systems quickly. Defender scanned the ship,
going from compartment to compartment, deck by deck. He was more thorough than
she was. “See?” she said.

“I don't need to hear your I told you so. He should have followed
standing procedure.”

“And if he had, he'd be dead. He's the key to everything we can't
lose him. And did you forget when he dies we die too?”

“I had known.”

“What are you a lemming?” Sprite demanded.

“I follow orders.”

“Then do so Lieutenant,” Sprite said. “And if I recall, orders
can be countermanded by the senior officer on the scene. So, for the record,
the Admiral countermanded the orders to suicide and followed his plan to take
the ship from the inside. Which we have done.”

“It seems celebration is premature,” Defender replied, turning
away.

“Don't tell them that, they've certainly earned the right,”
Sprite said, watching as people began to celebrate in an outpouring of emotion
as the change finally sunk in.  “It's all over but the crying for the dead,”
she murmured.

“And celebrating,” the Admiral said. “Don't forget that,” he
murmured. “But keep an eye out and stop the bickering,” he growled under his
breath just before he was nearly knocked off his feet by people pounding on his
shoulders, hugging him, and cheering wildly. They were hoarse from dehydration,
but that apparently didn't stop them. He smiled and waved.

“I never thought for a moment this would work,” Irina Nobeki
said. She hugged him, wrapping her arms around his neck. “If you ever need
anything...” she kissed him and then let go, fading into the crowd.

He wiped at his mouth but then his hand was grabbed by Mark who
shook it grinning ear to ear. Others whistled and cheered.

“I'd give anything to see the look on Hathaway's face right about
now," Gustov said over the intercom. That got people to stop, look up, and
then laugh and cheer once more.

“Me too,” Enric said.

<----*----*----*---->

In engineering, Kinja had had her team gather the sleeping
personnel and dumped them on a grav cart. One took them to the brig with
another person warily watching them to make certain they remained asleep. Once
Engineering was cleared she had the compartment and neighboring ones cleansed
of the excess C02 gas. “Are we really free?” Yosef asked, taking his mask off.

“Looks that way,” Kinja said, looking at the big guy. Yosef was a
quiet sort, he had a beard like the rest of them but he was something else. He
had long black hair to match his curly beard.

“So now what?”

“We clean up the mess and then make sure the bottle and systems
are stable. Then we see if the Admiral has a next step.”

“Is he really an Admiral?” Caid asked, wrinkling his nose.

Kinja shrugged as she dumped another guy they had just found
stuck half way in a Jefferies tube onto the cart. The cart bobbed. She did a
quick pat down, pulling tools from his pockets and then tossing them in the
pile. “No clue. Right now, I don't care if he's a spirit. He saved our ass. He's
all right in my book.”

Yosef and Caid nodded. “Come on, let's give the lady a hand,”
Yosef said waving a freckled hand to the smaller man. “Many hands make light
work.”

Caid snorted but got to work.

<----*----*----*---->

Ian looked around, surprised by the change in the once beaten
down prisoners. He looked at a couple of people who were also stunned, just
standing there, drinking in the moment. “What next?” were the words on
everyone's lips.

“We're working on that,” Ian replied when the question was inevitably
directed his way. “Whatever department you were in, go there if you don't have
a duty already assigned to you. We'll figure it out. We'll get the food and
medical sorted soon too,” he said, waving a hand.

George Takagi looked up and nodded. “George, you've got that?”

“Just point me in the direction of the cargo bays skipper,” the
Asian man said.

“I'm not the Captain,” Ian replied, shaking his head. The others
around him frowned. “For whatever reason, we're tied to Admiral Irons now. He's
the Captain of this ship. He's the one who got us out, and gave us this
chance,” he said. “I say we give him a chance and see where he wishes to lead
us.”

Takagi nodded. He looked around. A few people nodded as well. The
nods slowly turned into a tide of approval and support. Ian smiled crookedly.
“I'll let him know he has your full support and cooperation.”

“Thank you sir,” Takagi said.

“Get on the supply issues George. Get some volunteers to run food
to everyone, food and drink. I'll check in with the Admiral again shortly,” Ian
said, standing straight and tall.

He nodded as the group clapped. Some close to him patted him on
the shoulder. He waved and then was gone.

<----*----*----*---->

“Miss Hoshi,” Sprite said.

“Yes?” The woman asked, looking up.

“A meeting has been called for the officers on the bridge in
fifteen minutes.”

“Okay.”

“By any chance could you bring some refreshments? I believe it
would be appreciated,” Sprite said.

“Great, so now I'm a waitress?” Hoshi snarled, stomping off.

“Thank you!” Sprite said through her implants.

“You are so not welcome,” Hoshi growled. She was tired, she had a
headache from the lack of... she paused and then cocked her head. On second
thought, food might be a good idea right about now. And she could always get
some for herself while she was at it. There was no telling when they'd get a
chance to eat again if things got hairy.

<----*----*----*---->

When Gustov returned they held a council of war with the
surviving officers. Hoshi came in with a tray; she passed out drink bulbs and
energy bars to a grateful group. Hoshi handed Irina an energy bar and then sat
down next to her. Irina murmured thanks and kissed her ear.

Hoshi glared about the group but they were all too busy with
their own food and drinks to care.

The Admiral's commissioning offer to Irina had already made its
way through the survivors like lightening. Some of the people were looking at
Irons oddly, some with interest.

“So, what's this about a commission?” Ian asked. “I'm guessing
you have been thinking beyond this?” he asked, hefting the Gauss rifle he
cradled in his arms.

Irons smiled as he nodded. Trust Ian to get to the heart of the
matter. “I have.”

“You could say he's a few steps ahead,” Sindri said, snorting
softly. “Now I know what he meant about chess,” he said with a rumble.

Ian smiled. “To be a good officer you have to be a few steps
ahead. I get that. And an Admiral,” he said, looking at the Admiral with a self
depreciating smile and then ducking away. “Even more so I guess.”

“Yes,” Sprite said from the overhead.

“So, what plans do you have for us?” Sindri asked. “If we're
willing,” he said.

“First, get everyone sorted out, secure the ship, and get
everyone medical attention, food, and sleep. I'm working on a watch rotation
now,” the Admiral said.

“Actually I am,” Sprite said from the overhead. “And I'd
appreciate it if you'd get some holo emitters installed. Ones not linked to the
ship AI. Which is another project,” she said sighing.

“Ship AI?” Ian asked, looking up. “I thought...” he indicated the
overhead PA speaker.

“No, that is one of the AI's attached to me,” the Admiral replied
with a shrug. “She's linked into the ship to help coordinate everyone right
now.”

“Oh.”

“Admiral, Phoenix reports that his reserve power is down to seven
percent. We need to get him power,” Sprite said.

“Phoenix? Your ship?” Sindri asked.

“In this case ship AI.”

Sindri held up a meaty hand. It was covered with a rag, a
makeshift bandage. “Wait,” he frowned. “Wait, I remember, you did say you are
good with computers,” he chuckled. “Now I get it.” He turned to the others with
a laugh. “This one I like.”

“Yeah, well, what now?” Kinja asked.

“I'm still waiting on an answer,” Ian said, pointedly looking at
Irons. “I heard stories of Pyrax and how you fought off the pirate attack there
and then recreated the Navy. I'm guessing it's all true.”

The Admiral nodded.

“So, you're serious?” Hoshi asked. “About us joining up?” she
asked, looking around.

“I made the offer to Irina and it stands for those of you here.
Same for the enlisted, commissions or non-commissioned ratings in the
Federation Navy.”

“We heard something about you starting that up again,” Hoshi said
softly. Irons looked from her to the softly rumbling Dwarf. The small man was
rubbing his chin thoughtfully, stroking his tangled beard.

“I think we need to get this ship sorted out before we all jump
into something. Take the time to think it over. Some food, and damn it, a
decent bed,” the dwarf rumbled. The others nodded.

“Good point,” the Admiral relented, stamping on his impatient urge
to get things rolling quickly. They were still mentally off balance, it was a
good idea to let them decompress a bit. Hopefully they had time.

“Any problems with the chain of command as it is?” Ian asked. He
motioned to Irons and then looked at the others. “He does out rank us all after
all. And he has a plan. That's more than any of us can say.”

“And he has things you wouldn't dream of,” Sprite said from the
overhead. They looked up to the speaker and then to the Admiral. Irons
shrugged.

“Which are classified,” a second darker voice growled.

“Who was that?” Sindri asked.

The Admiral winced, face going slightly cold. “Another of my AI.
Lieutenant Defender, my security AI.”

The dwarf looked at him with one eye for a long moment. “Must be
crowded in there,” he said.

The Admiral exhaled noisily. “You have no idea,” he said, shaking
his head. “But we make it work. All four of us.”

“Ah,” the dwarf said.

“Yeah,” Ian said thoughtfully in the ensuing silence. “Wow.”

“You have no idea. But I will say, I plan on restoring this ship
to full Federation standard. Those of you who want to stick around, you'll get
to learn and have a hand in it. Plus full medical, implants, and a chance at
payback.”

Ian smiled. “Well, that's interesting. Some of us don't have a
ship to go back to.”

“I can restore ships, rebuild or replace just about anything on a
ship actually,” Irons replied. “Given power, time, and materials of course.”

“Ah.”

Sindri grunted, getting to his feet.
“We can figure that crap out later, once this beast is under
control.”

Irons nodded. “Understood.”

 “I organized a team to go compartment by compartment to remove
the sleeping crew. The Horathian's are now prisoners in the brig,” Gustov
reported.

“Excellent. Time to completion?” Sprite asked.

“Um, sorry, uh, I'm not certain. We've got some stuck doors and
some prisoners need medical attention on site. It could be another two or three
hours.”

“Understood. Thank you.”

“No, thank you sir,” Gustov said. "We never thought we'd get
a shot at this. "Thank you." Irons nodded as the other man left.

With the ship mostly secured Admiral Irons stripped the watch off
the aft and port midships life support modules to one person in each and had
them join Gustov’s team.

“What if someone gets out and heads to them?” Gustov asked.

“Have them secure the hatch from the inside. If there is anyone
loose they will be looking for a quick place to hide, a locked door will make
them think for easier opportunities.”

“Roger. We can sure use the help,” Gustov said.

“That's the idea. If you can run your people by any food
replicators, get as many fed as you can and make sure they get some drinks.”

“Yes, I think a few are getting winded or dehydrated. Good idea Admiral,”
Gustov said.

“He's probably been through this before,” Sindri said.

“A few times no doubt,” Ki
nja said.

“Yes a few times, but every time is different,” Irons replied. 

As the teams cleared each section the life support watch restored
normal atmosphere, allowing them to work without masks.