“Sorry Doctor but I can under the Captain’s war powers emergency act section 7 article 13. I will have to justify my actions later when this emergency is over and provide enough evidence to convict in front of a review board. But as far as the sentence goes I can have them shot as long as their crimes are felonies and everyone on that list has committed multiple felonies. So until we receive a supply ship you will follow my orders or I will have them shot to save you the anguish and our supplies.”
“If someone on that list drops in front of me with a heart attack I will do what must be done to save his life Captain.”
“Doctor if someone on that list drops in front of you for any reason it is more likely for the sole purpose to distract you and everyone else in that compartment so one of their buddies can kill a witness or escape. But if you want to waste your time providing them mouth to mouth and the attention of your entire staff and someone else in the ward dies, you will be the one going out the lock for disobeying orders. Let me repeat Doctor, if anyone on that list needs any drugs from the shortage list… Hell, from the Class A drug lists period, you will let them suffer or even die or I will have them all shoved out the nearest airlock. I will not risk the health of my crew to make even one minute of life more comfortable for the monsters on that list.”
The Chief Surgeon looked at Jack for a good minute as Jack just stared at him. The Chief turned his eyes to a side screen and they got big as he read. “Damn, the crimes just popped up next to the names on the list as his mouth dropped and looked at Jack. “You have proof that they committed all these crimes Captain? I have one of them going into surgery at this moment.”
“Yes Doctor I believe I do or they would not be on the list.” Looking up at Jeeves. “Include a short file showing the video of each of their crimes Jeeves.” Looking back at the Chief Surgeon. “If that does not convince you then I will gladly relieve you of command.”
The Doctor tapped the newly attached file on the patient and swallowed as he watched it for a few seconds and then slapped it off and sighed as he tapped his comm. “Stop the operation and get that ass hole out of my operating room.”
“But Doctor we were just getting ready to put him under.”
“I don’t care. He will live for a while without an operation. Now get him out and no pain killers. I will be there in a minute.” Turning to Jack. “Until a supply transport arrives then Captain. By your Command.”
Jack looked at Jeeves. “I hope you have the evidence that all the ones on your list are guilty or I am in trouble.”
“They are Captain. They are.”
Turning around to face Doctor Truitt. “So I suppose you don’t want to be my Steward anymore right Doctor.” Jack made the statement smiling. “I know I am a fucking ass hole monster so don’t even start.”
The old woman reached forward and pulled Jack back around into the chair and started massaging his neck again. “Now look what you have done. Gone and knotted up all your muscles again. It is going to take me even longer to get you to bed and asleep.”
“I don’t need to sleep Doctor. I have too much to do.” Trying to pull away as he tapped the desk’s comm typing in an address with the comm frequencies and protocols.
“Bullshit.” Jerking him back into his seat. “You have been up for 37 hours now. You are going to bed if I have to sit on you and sedate you. I am not going to have my Captain dropping from exhaustion. Now shut up and relax.”
“I could have made the call for you Captain. All you had to do was ask. That is part of my job.” Jeeves said from one side of the cabin. “I have finished connecting the call you started Commodore. I will have the Captain on the line in a few seconds.”
Jack moaned letting his head loll around with her manipulations as she dug her fingers deep into his muscles working the knots out. The pain felt excruciatingly good as he started to relax.
The Captain of the Spider Hulk being moved came up in a large window on the screen. “Good to see you Captain. Heard you were stranded on a couple of Battletransports that had collided. I take it you got that mess straightened out.”
“Yes and no Captain. Had to arrest the Commodore to keep him from killing the majority of his crews. Still trying to figure out how to move the ships back to the Hulk Base station to see if we can make repairs. How are things going there?” Jack suddenly realized that it had only been a few hours since he left the bubble chasing the distress signal and not days like it felt.
“On schedule Captain. No problems. You can take as long as you need there. The scouts have not found a trace of anything within a light week of us so far. Still no sign of our supply transports.”
“Damn. Well, carry on Captain. Out.”
“Ok Jeeves, get me the Hulk Basestation.”
The Basestation’s Commander appeared on the screen. “Yes Captain I hear you had some fun on a pair of lost transports.”
“I wouldn’t call it much fun but yes. How are things going there?”
“Well Captain, the new Transport Bombers you ordered from manufacturing are coming out better than I had thought possible. The Tanker has had scoops added and it is pushing through the edge of the cloud now. We are getting the bugs worked out of the systems. The Tanker’s Captain is complaining about skimming the edge of the cloud and won’t take it deeper for some reason. Says something about not wanting to be stranded in the cloud if he has engine problems or runs out of reaction mass. Doesn’t make any sense to me since I have yet to hear anything about problems with the mass scoops on any of the other vessels we have put them on once the initial bugs were worked out and he has already filled his ships ready tanks and one of his ship’s main storage tanks. As for the engines, they do need overhauled as many hours as they have after 3 years of service but they are still sound and purring along after the work we were able to do on them while adding the scoop. I don’t see any major engine problems no matter how much belly aching he is doing about them being ready to fail at any minute. I think he is just hearing the normal squeaks and groans of an operating ship and blowing them up out of proportion in his mind.”
Jack turned to look at the hulks only a couple miles away as the Chief Steward/Doctor continued to work on his neck as he listened to the Engineer. “Engine problems? Hell he has two engines even if he loses one, the other... would…” Jack started smiling. “Tell you what Captain. Have the Captain put back into the Basestation to get his engines overhauled to the latest configuration.”
“What latest configuration Captain Turner? I have not heard anything about…”
“I need an engine to replace an engine on the hulks over here so I can get them back to the station. That tanker does not need two engines to skim the cloud around the bubble. I want you to pull one of the engines while you are checking out the other. One engine should be all we need to get them back and then we will worry about separating them.”
“Good idea Captain Turner but he is an old Tramp Transport Captain used to using junk equipment and engines and has been stranded between stars several times and doesn’t even want to be here. He is not going to let you steal one of his engines even if he doesn’t need it.”
“Damn. I need that engine.” Jack tried to get up only to be pulled back down into the chair without seeming to notice. Finally shaking his head Jack remembered something about building new large thrusters not that long ago. “Belay that order. Let him keep his engines. I remember something about producing some new maneuvering thrusters for the Spider battleship hulk. Get with the Manufacturing Dumont, aaa, Yarr and, and get the engines they wanted to test on the Battleship hulk out here to bring the transports back to the station. That should make for a better test anyway and salve two problems at the same time.”
Chuckling. “I will do my best Captain.”
“Thanks Captain. We will start pulling the scrapped engine here now. Turner out.” Sitting back and taking a deep breath fighting the erg to sleep. “Jeeves, get me Captain Glenn please.”
The screen f
licked with a surprised Glenn appearing. “Yes Captain Turner. I am a bit busy right now. How can I help you?” Said the new temp Captain as she turned from talking to another officer.
“You are now officially temp. Captain of the two hulks over there. Congrats Captain. I need you to start pulling one of your junk engines to make room for a new test engine I am having sent over as a replacement. If you need help… Fact is, I will just send over everyone that is not on watch. We need to get it done soonest. Turner out. Jeeves get me the engineering Chief please.”
A few seconds later the Engineering Chief wiping his hands on a rag, came on the screen. “Chief, I need all your off watch personnel to head for the Paprika. We need one of her junk engines pulled to make room for a new engine the ex-slaves are building. We are also going to have to add a mass storage and feed system as the engine is a God tech reaction mass engine needing large quantities of reaction mass. Get with Captain Glenn and get it done. I will need to know how long it will take to jerk the other engine out as well. Have it ready for tomorrow’s briefing. Any questions Chief.”
“Aaa… No sir. That pretty much covers it. Anything else you need like completely rebuilding the trashed enemy monster Guns while I am at it back at the station or maybe you want to re-engine the monster Battleship headed for the Basestation by the end of the week. I am sure there has to be some other miracle I can help you with in my spare time Captain as well.”
“No Chief, one Miracle replacing the engine on the hulk out here will do. I will save the others for next week. Out.”
Jack turned to the Steward. “Ok Doctor. Why do I have a Doctor as a Steward not to mention that was a damn fine meal when we have been on short rations for months?”
“The meal is from the Paprika’s supplies and you are the fleet Commander. As far as me being your steward, I am not a Doctor. The Navy decided that after I signed up that a couple of my premed courses many years ago was not up to Navy standards of approval and made me a Cook.”
“What the hell.” Jack looked over his shoulder at Truitt. “Sounds familiar. So why didn’t you make up the courses like I did?”
“I love Cooking and realized that after 40 years I was burned out being a Doctor. Besides I wasn’t a very good Doctor.”
“That is a lie Captain.” Jeeves said from the corner beside the forward bulkhead screen. “She is one of the most renowned Practitioners in the Republic. She has published over a hundred papers on just about everything concerning the human body and several alien species.
“Ooooh God that feels good… Aaaa… Ok that explains why the Chief surgeon wants you down helping. But you still have not answered my question about why you are my Steward.”
“The Executive Officer asked for a volunteer to be the Captain’s Steward and I applied and was accepted. Must not have been anyone else applying for the job Captain.”
“Not quite Captain.” Jeeves piped up again. “There was 286 applicants from the crew and the refugees that had been shipped over from the Spider hulk before you decided to move it instead of destroying it.”
“Sorry Jeeves but you are wrong there. I never wanted to destroy it. I hate wasting good equipment. I am an engineer at heart.”
“I am sorry Captain but you had orders to destroy it.”
“Eee… Semantics Jeeves. Jack’s head lolled around again as he looked over at Jeeves. “God you look like my Grandfather Pop but younger.”
“Yes Captain I told you your Grandfather designed and named me.”
“Did he pick the avatar as well? I doubt that knowing him.”
“Fact is he did. He said, (use and old fart), so I used his likeness. Do you not like my using your grandfather as a likeness?”
“Ooooh… So you do have a sense of humor then and used semantics as an excuse. Tell you what. Pick something else. I don’t care what. It is just too strange trying to talk to my grandfather. Just makes me homesick.”
Jeeves changed to an ugly knuckle dragging hunch back. “Does this meet with your approval Captain? You can change my name to Quasimodo.”
Jack rolled his eyes before closing them as he groaned again. Finally his eyes half opened to look at the Hunchback again. “I could be a butt and say yes but I would never get any work done laughing at you every time you appeared. Even if it was just at the looks everyone else would have when they saw you. At least you are on the right track. Pick something else.”
The Hunchback disappeared as Jack moaned again from the pain and the next time Jack opened his eyes he saw a Troll complete with a wooden club over his shoulder slathering drool dripping from his mouth, complete with gross noises. Chuckling Jack shook his head. I did ask for a sense of humor didn’t I and that does not mean I want a clown. Try again.”
After another dozen attempts with Jack’s voice getting softer and more slurred, Truitt broke in. “Enough for one night. Time to get a hot shower and hit your rack Captain.” Dragging him out of his chair with his eyes half closed. “Jeeves, turn the shower on hot 105 degrees to start with. I will have you increase it after he gets in.” She unzipped his underall used with the armor, pulling it down so he walked out of it as she pushed him naked into the shower stall. The Wizard with a long white beard and staff following behind.
A half hour later with steam billowing out of the much hotter shower stall. Truitt half carried Jack putting him to bed and giving his whole body a quick massage to leave him snoring, pulling the light covers up across him. “67 degrees room temp if you please Jeeves and darken the room completely blacken the ports. Not even a night lite and kill that bridge screen. No visual stimulation at all. Got that. And no visitors or calls period unless the ship is being attacked got it.” Looking at Jeeves avatar as she left the bedroom. “The pointed hat with stars is a nice touch and thanks for helping get his mind off of work. I really did not want to use drugs. He should be out for a good 10 hours. Call me when he starts to wake up. I will be down in surgery.”
“You need sleep as well Doctor.”
“I am not a Doctor, remember big boy. Besides I have been pulling 48 hour shifts during emergencies my whole life with cat naps stretching that to 72.”
“Is that wise Doctor with the lives of patients in your hands? You just got through insisting Captain Jack sleep. Should not you do the same?”
“I don’t have the human race dependent on me for survival. Besides. After 40 years I am pretty much cookie cutting as far as what is needed in surgery today. My hands can operated with me half asleep. The nerve wracking touchy operations will come later after the hamburger surgery is done. I will make sure I have plenty of sleep for those if the Chief Surgeon even uses me once things quite down. One of the reasons I love doing massages is to keep my fingers strong and nimble as well as lessening the use of drugs.”
“You know you could have just given him a blow job and it would have put him to sleep much faster.”
Truitt did a double take at the old Wizard. “You do have a sense of humor don’t you Jeeves. A bit raunchy it turns out but it is there. And no it would not have been the same. With his body all knotted up and tense, half his muscles would have knotted up from the stain putting an end to any long term enjoyment and he would have been lucky to sleep 6 hours, more likely 4 with all his worries giving him nightmares. Not to mention one reason leaders have a tendency to age more rapidly than the general population is the body working itself to death all tensed up without relief from the strain 24/7. No, just tell me when he starts to wake and enough with the jokes for now.”
“Come Doctor, I was just getting to the fun characters even if he did forbid clowns. Watching Jack’s reactions is extremely entertaining to me. You looked like you were being entertained as well.”
Frowning at the Wizard. She finally smiled. “What can I say? I am easily entertained.” Walking out the hatch. “Bye.” She waved.
Walking down the passageway from the hatch a half dressed Ensign ran past her dragging pieces of battle armor and stopped at the Captains Day cabi
n hatch. Turning around she watched the Ensign try to open the hatch and then start tapping on the pad next to the hatch. Walking back to stop some 6 feet from the Ensign. “Can I help you Ensign?”
The Ensign turned to look at the Chief Steward and frowned. “No.” She stated and turned back to the hatch staring at it squinting her eyes for a few seconds. Then turned back to the Chief Steward and sneered. “You were just in with Jack weren’t you?” She accused.
Giving the Ensign a baffled look. “So. I am the Captains New Steward. You can talk to the Captain later. His is sleeping and cannot be disturbed. Come back later. Do you wish to make an appointment?”
“The only thing I wish to do is… I do not need to make an appointment with Jack.” Already getting pissed off. “You were in the shower with Jack and just bouncing in bed with him a few minutes ago weren’t you?” Going for her pistol that was not a stungun. “My god you are old enough to be his mother. No! Grandmother you sick bitch. I am going to kill both of you.”
Jeeves appeared in the passageway behind her. “Ensign, Doctor Truitt has done nothing inappropriate or sexual with Captain Turner. She simply gave him a hot shower and massage to put him to sleep and you are out of uniform Lieutenant.”
The Ensign whipped around at the sound of the voice. “Damn it pop! I watched her straddling Jack bouncing up and down. I call that screwing him.” Turning back around. “I am going to… “Pop?” Turning back around doing a double take as her mouth dropped open.
“I am not Pop. I am Captain Turner’s personal assistant using my creator’s image at this time. The doctor did not screw the Captain. He was face down when she was on top of him massaging his back. Nothing inappropriate happened as I said even though I did suggest that she give him a blow job, though she did not.”
Jerking the pistol out of its holster. “You damn pervert. I am the only one that is going to give him a….” Shaking her head. “You’re a fucking Hologram. Just a bunch of focused light waves with no heat blood or nerve paths.”
Battleship Destroyer 2 (Battleship Destoryer) Page 59
