by Jim Proctor
Nolan moved slowly up and down the aisles, examining the pieces. “This is part of a pressure hull from a spaceship. It looks alien,” he said. “The fabrication techniques are not Galactic.” He continued his examination. “The material is wrong, too. It looks like titanium. And here… these markings are definitely not Galactic.”
“They’re Xetian,” Boo said.
Nolan stared at her. “Xetian? Where did you get this?”
“A salvage ship stopped by last week. The captain said he picked this stuff up near the asteroid belt in your home system,” she said.
He waved his arms around, “These are parts from the ships that attacked the SACOM First Fleet!”
Boo nodded. “I think so.”
He continued along a row surveying the wreckage. A large, green, metallic box bolted to a jagged floor panel had a metal tag attached to the side, which had been wiped clean of dust and grime. Stepping closer, he realized the tag was engraved in Galactic Standard. He read aloud, “Ion beam aiming module. Revision 1B. SACOM WDG.”
“What does WDG stand for?” Megan asked.
“Weapons Development Group,” Boo said.
Nolan looked at Boo. “Do you know what this means?”
“Yes. SACOM supplied the weapons the Xetians used against the First Fleet,” she said.
“How can that be?” Megan asked. “It makes no sense.”
“Do you remember what Mick told us?” he asked. “SACOM was transporting some sort of super weapon, or parts for one, when they were ambushed.”
“Is this the super weapon?” she asked, pointing to the aiming module.
“Not likely. If this is what the Xetians used against the First Fleet, it’s a lot more powerful than their own weapons. It’s some sort of prototype, probably SACOM’s next generation weapon,” he said.
“How do you know that?” Megan asked.
“If this were standard issue, it wouldn’t have that tag on it from their development group,” he said. He bent down and raised the end of a severed cable from the aiming module. “Also, look at this. See the individual wires? They’re all different colors.”
“What does that mean?” Megan asked.
“It’s another indication it’s a prototype. During field testing, having the cables color-coded makes it easier to troubleshoot problems and make repairs. Once the design is finalized and standard-issue units are produced, all the wires are dark grey,” Nolan said.
“I don’t understand,” Megan said.
“If I find the other half of this wire, I can reconnect everything and possibly make the weapon functional again. If all the wires are the same color, I can’t easily do that,” Nolan said.
“Ah, so it makes it hard for someone to repair salvaged weapons,” Megan said.
“That’s right.”
“Someone in SACOM wanted that super weapon for themselves, and they were willing to destroy the First Fleet to get it,” Boo said.
“Even if it meant arming the Xetians with high-tech weapons,” Megan said.
Nolan began examining more of the wreckage. “There are more pieces to this weapon here. This large box is the ion beam generator. Do you have the complete system?”
Boo shrugged. “I don’t know. That big section with the focusing unit was the first piece the salvager picked up. One of his cargo handlers noticed the tag, and they made sure they grabbed anything with a SACOM marking on it. A lot of Xetians ships were blown up. There could be duplicates here from several ships, and parts could still be missing. Without a system diagram, I can’t be sure.”
Nolan looked around. “There’s so much stuff here. There’s bound to be enough parts to make at least one working system. Is this everything you bought?”
“No, there’s more in the yard. I put all the SACOM parts I could find in here to keep them out of sight. There could be more pieces buried out there,” Boo replied. Then she gave Nolan a knowing smile. “Are you thinking about building a working weapon from all this?”
Nolan smiled. “It’s tempting, isn’t it?” He began to sway. Megan ran to him and grabbed him.
“Come on. Let’s go into the house where you can sit down and we can talk more comfortably.”
Megan supported Nolan as they followed Boo to the house.
Nolan sank into a thickly padded chair in Boo’s living room and sighed.
“Someone really did a number on you. Broken ribs?” Boo asked.
“Yeah. How can you tell?” he asked.
Boo nodded. “The way you wince when you move certain ways. I won’t even ask about the bruising on your face.”
Megan said, “He looks a lot better now. You should have seen him when we left Caldon.”
“Well, you’re safe here. As safe as you can be anywhere, I suppose. What I’m wondering is, how did you get away? They didn’t do this to you and then let you go to show the world their handiwork.”
“Some SACOM people got him out,” Megan said.
Boo looked at her for a moment. “Another puzzle, like the SACOM weapons on the Xetian ship.”
“We think a coup is about to take place inside SACOM. There’s no way anyone would risk getting me out of there unless they were confident their current leader was going down,” Nolan said.
“Do you know who the good guys are?” Boo asked.
“I know who got Nolan out. Does that make them good guys?” Megan asked. “Who’s to say the group fighting for power is good? They could just be a different brand of evil.”
“What’s your gut tell you?” Boo asked.
Megan sighed. “The group I met seemed decent. I think they got Nolan out of there out of compassion. I think they’re good people.”
Boo nodded. “Then you need to let them know what happened to the First Fleet.”
“Nolan needs to recuperate first,” Megan said.
“Boo is right. We need to go back and tell that captain about the Xetian’s weapons,” he said.
“Not yet,” Megan insisted. “You need to heal, and we need to let things on Caldon settle down.”
“When will that happen? It could be a long, bloody battle spilling out into the streets before it’s over,” Nolan said. “Waiting won’t help, and it could make things worse.”
“A few days, then,” Megan said. “Take a few days to rest and to make a plan.”
“No, we can’t wait,” Nolan said. He tried to stand, groaned in pain, and sank back into the chair.
“A few days,” Megan said. “You can’t even walk back to the ship in your condition.”
“Okay, a few days,” he conceded. “Do you know the captain’s node address? I could send him a message.”
“Not from here, you won’t!” Boo yelled. “The last thing I need is someone contacting SACOM from my place. If you want to send a message, you better get in the Griffin and go a long way from here to send it.”
“Okay, no message. In a few days, we’ll go to Caldon and we’ll contact him then,” Nolan said. “Tomorrow I’d like to take some pictures of the wreckage as evidence. I doubt the captain will believe me without proof.”
* * * *
Megan stepped onto the porch and looked around. Lengthening shadows were beginning to fill the spaces between the neat piles of equipment and scrap metal. A faint banging noise came from somewhere out there in the shadow world. Following the sound, she wound her way through the maze of equipment. Rounding a large pile, she found Boo sitting on a stool, working on some device that Megan didn’t recognize.
Boo looked up and smiled. “Where’s Nolan?” she asked.
“In bed. I gave him his pain medication, so he’ll sleep soundly for hours.”
Boo nodded. “Pull up a seat.”
Megan looked around for a stool, and then settled for a metal box sitting nearby. She dragged it over and sat. “What’s that you’re working on?” she asked.
“It’s a food synthesizer. I’ll get a decent price for it after I refurbish it.”
“Do you do all your own w
ork?” Megan asked.
“It’s all me. The nearest town is a three-hour drive. My closest neighbor is two hours away. That doesn’t give me much of a labor pool.”
“Isn’t it lonely out here?” Megan asked.
“A bit. I have visitors, though. My suppliers come by pretty regularly. If I were close to town, they’d take their goods somewhere else. In this business, discretion is important. Salvagers come here to sell for credit chips or trade for goods. It lowers their tax burden, if you understand me. The last thing they want is prying eyes watching them come and go.”
“You and Nolan seem to know each other fairly well.” Megan said.
“Just through the business. Carl came here regularly to deal. Nolan was usually with him.”
“Nolan is pretty reserved,” Megan said. “I’m surprised he didn’t stay hidden in the ship when they were here.”
“Oh, Nolan isn’t outgoing, that’s true. But he’s perceptive, and he appreciates talent. I remember his first visit here. It was just Carl and Nolan that time. They had just come from a tough salvage job, and Carl had taken the crew back home to rest before coming out here. He practically dragged Nolan out of the ship by the arm. They found me in my shop repairing a plasma focusing unit. Let’s just say Nolan came right out of his shell and before long, he was helping me. We talked about this and that. He’s quite special.”
“I know,” Megan said with a smile.
“So how do you know him?” Boo asked.
“Through the business, as you’d say. I’m Megan Carson—John’s widow.”
Boo stopped working and looked into her eyes. “I’m sorry for your loss. Nolan told me what happened last time he was here. John was a good man.”
“You knew John?” Megan asked.
“The whole crew was here on several occasions. After they offloaded the cargo, John always helped me move stuff around and sort. The others mainly sat aboard the ship eating and drinking… you know, taking a bit of a holiday.”
“That sounds like my John. I’m surprised Carl didn’t have everyone help out, though.”
“That isn’t how it works in this business. Once the cargo is off the ship, it’s the buyer’s responsibility. Carl and I both understood the rules and stuck to them. John just liked to help.”
“He was a good man,” Megan whispered, looking at the ground.
“Nolan’s a good man, too,” Boo added.
“Yes, I know,” Megan said, still studying the dirt between her feet.
“Not that it’s any of my business, but how close are you and Nolan?”
Megan turned and looked off across the dark yard.
“I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have asked. Especially after talking about John so much,” Boo said.
Megan turned to face her. A tear escaped the corner of her eye and clung to her cheek. Forcing a smile, she said, “We’re friends.”
Boo nodded. “Fair enough. That’s all I need to know.”
After a brief silence, Megan said, “He’s in love with me.”
“And what about you?” Boo asked.
Megan shrugged. “I don’t know how I feel. It’s too soon.”
Boo reached over and patted Megan’s knee. “You take your time to heal. Nolan has been alone for a long time. He can wait a bit longer. When you’re ready, he’ll still be there. He needs someone special in his life.”
“Oh, I don’t know. I think Nolan likes his independent lifestyle,” Megan said.
Boo shook her head. “Ha! Don’t you bet on it. That man needs someone like you. I’ve seen the change already. Something was missing before. Now he’s found it.”
“And you think it’s me?” she asked.
“I know it’s you,” Boo said.
Megan looked up at the darkening sky. “I’m worried about him. He’s got his mind set on finding Carl.”
“And you don’t think he will?” Boo said.
“Do you think we’ll find him?”
Boo put down her screwdriver and sighed. “It’s hard to say. SACOM has been looking for him, and they haven’t had any success. I don’t know. Nolan knows Carl better than anyone. Maybe he’ll figure out some clue that SACOM missed.”
“I hope so,” Megan said.
“What are you going to do when Nolan resumes his search?”
“I’m going with him, wherever he goes,” Megan said. “We’ll look together.”
Boo smiled. “Then I’d say you don’t need to worry about Nolan. As long as you’re with him, he’ll be okay whether you find Carl or not.”
“Thanks, Boo. And now, if you don’t mind, I’m going back inside to check on Nolan, and then I’m going to bed.”
“I’ll be in soon. Light’s fading and I don’t feel like moving all these parts to my workshop tonight,” Boo said.
* * * *
Nolan walked into the kitchen and found Boo and Megan busy cooking. “That smells great.”
Megan looked at him over her shoulder. “Hey, you got out of bed all by yourself.”
“It hurt like hell, but I did it. Do you want any help?” he asked.
Boo chuckled. “Everything is ready. We just need help eating.”
Nolan walked to the table and eased himself into a chair.
“Very good,” Megan said. “You’re making progress.”
“So, Nolan, what do you want to do today?” Boo asked as she set a plate piled with pancakes on the table and sat down.
“I want to take a lot of pictures of those SACOM weapon components in your hangar to take back with me.”
“It may help Captain Jiorgenson identify the weapons, too,” Megan said.
“Yes, and that may help him figure out who gave them to the Xetians,” Nolan said.
“Let’s eat while it’s still hot. After breakfast, we’ll go to the hanger and you can photograph everything,” Boo said. “Then you can earn your keep. I’m having trouble with a food synthesizer, and I could use your help.”
“I thought you hated those things,” Nolan said with a smile.
“I do. However, they bring a good price to the right buyer,” she said.
“After we get it working, we can test it by preparing lunch,” he said.
“No, thank you. Besides, I don’t have the nutrient canisters for it.”
“You can’t sell it without testing it. This afternoon, I’ll fly the Griffin over to Centralis and pick up some canisters,” Nolan said.
“I’m going with you,” Megan said. “I’d like to see the town.”
“Why don’t you come with us, Boo? It’ll be fun,” Nolan said.
Boo looked thoughtful for a moment. “Sure, why not. I could pick up a few things while we’re there. It beats a six-hour drive in the old truck.”
Nolan carefully photographed the wreckage, getting close up images of the Xetian markings on the hull and the data plates on the SACOM equipment. When he finished, he turned to Megan and said, “Let’s go check on Boo.”
“I’ve never seen a synthesizer like that,” Nolan said, looking over Boo’s shoulder.
“It’s the latest model,” she said.
“Where did you get it?” he asked.
She looked at him for a moment and then said, “Same place as those Xetian parts.”
“This came from one of the ships of the First Fleet?”
She nodded.
“Can’t you get into trouble selling SACOM property?” Megan asked.
“It’s not SACOM property anymore. It’s space salvage. It’s free for the taking once they abandon it,” Boo said.
“I assumed they had kitchens and cooks on the SACOM ships,” Megan said.
“They do on the big ships. The small ships have food synthesizers. This probably came from a scout class ship,” Nolan said.
“That’s good for us. It uses small nutrient canisters, which don’t cost a fortune. We’ll have no trouble getting them in town,” Boo said. “There’s a store just a few blocks from the spaceport that stocks them.”
“What about the stuff in the hangar? Is that space salvage, too?” Megan asked.
Boo shrugged. “That’s a gray area, I think. The First Fleet had no way of knowing SACOM weapons were on the Xetian ships, so they didn’t knowingly abandon it. They could make a good case that it’s all stolen property. That’s why I’m keeping it out of sight until I decide what to do with it.”
“Let’s get to work on this food synthesizer, and then we’ll fly to town,” Nolan said.
“I know this cozy bar on Cable Street—I think we’ll stop in there for a drink or two while we’re in town,” Boo said. Turning to Nolan, she added, “And you’re buying.”
* * * *
The Griffin landed on a pad near the edge of the spaceport, such as it was. Centralis wasn’t a major port, and it didn’t get a lot of space traffic. Most of the pads were a mixture of gravel and sand rolled flat. Or, perhaps the sand had simply blown in and covered the gravel. As the ramp touched down, it kicked up a small cloud of fine sand, which swirled and tumbled in the air before settling again. Nolan hobbled down the ramp with Megan by his side. Boo followed.
At the gatehouse, Nolan paid the landing and pad fees, and then the group began walking up Prospect Drive.
By the time they reached town, Nolan was struggling for air. His ribs insisted he only take shallow breaths, so he was panting quickly, trying to keep up with his body’s needs. Megan helped him down onto a bench in the shade of a tree and then sat beside him.
“You two wait here while I get the nutrient canisters,” Boo said.
The pair watched as she crossed the street and walked past a few stores before turning into the building on the corner. Megan shaded her eyes and read the sign out loud, “Dan’s Emporium. If we have it, you need it.”
Nolan began to laugh, which quickly became a groan and a cringe. “How long will these ribs keep hurting?” he asked through gritted teeth. “Shouldn’t they be healed by now?”
“I’d say you can look forward to another six weeks of pain,” Megan replied.
“Are you kidding me?”
“Nolan, you have broken bones. They take time to knit. Just take it easy and let your body heal,” she said.
