Tramp Wars: The Enemy

by Larry Roberts

  “How the hell do you get off trying to tell me what my ship needs boy? Now you get the hell out of my cabin before I do put you in Irons for the rest of your life.” The Captain stood leaning over her desk, her face turned beet red. “Everyone get the hell out now! Mass is over. Doctor; will you please stay with me and my officers for a few minutes.” Walking around her desk she headed for Jolleen's, Tom’s and Marks parents‘.

  "But what about those stupid play acting tricks Mark pulled on me and he could have killed us flying so close to the falls Captain." Mrs. Hastings practically screamed. "I want his pilots licensee pulled. He has no business flying period being half blind." She demanded.

  Captain Cook turned to Mark after looking tiredly at Mrs. Hastings. "Mr. Collins; are you half blind?"

  "Ah. No sir." Mark knew he was going to get it know. For the first time since he arrived he was truly scared. Losing his pilot's license would devastate him. The implants suddenly forgotten.

  "Tell me Mark; what were you starring at for so long standing like a dumb shit on the ramp. The sun was over your right shoulder so you were not sunning yourself and I can't believe you were just waiting to act the fool trying to get kicked off piloting the bus. It did not look planned."

  "What? How? Ah... No sir. I... I was watching a ship destroy itself after landing in the ports emergency pit sir. I. I could see the crew burning alive and dying as they ran from the burning hulk. I don't think anyone made it out alive but I was hopping."

  "Yes Captain!" Burst out Tom. "One of the hulks next to the emergency pit we think was my girlfriend’s ship that I stopped getting mail from. Do you know if that was the Wayfarer Sir?"

  "John Stencil's ship the Wayfarer? No!" The Captain face suddenly got worried as she returned to her desk and hit a few icons on it then reading something before looking up. "Sorry Tom. You said the hulk is not far?" The Captain looked out her viewport into the darkness. "I will have to pay my respects. The report said there were survivors but does not list them. Number One, check on the ship and have the list posted for Tom and the crew along with contact information. Give Mr. Duarty a hand finding out about his friend as well as John Stencil the Wayfarer’s Captain for me." The Captain started typing and tapping on her desk rapidly. “The report does not say what exactly happened either. Only saying the ship had an incident with suspected pirates.”

  Mrs. Hastings screamed. "Captain! I demand you take Marks Pilots license away from him immediately and sentence him to psychiatric care and treatment so he can accept his handicap and limitations like a normal retard Captain. He does not belong out amongst normal people Captain."

  Mark’s mother stood up turning red as she stepped toward the teacher balling up her fists. Mark had never seen his mother that mad before, looking like she would actually do someone violence.

  Captain Cook looked up from her desk suddenly becoming aware of the people in the cabin again and turned red. “Mrs. Collins! I will take care of this.” Waving Mark's mother back into her seat. "Now you listen you… I saw and heard the way you talked to Mark out on that ramp and everything your kids said and did while he was just standing there waiting for you, minding his own business. While I could not hear everything Mark said. What I did hear was neither derogatory nor belligerent to you or the kids and seamed to only be light hearted responses to your bigotry crap talk toward him. Which his mother Mrs. Collins, our ships Chief Psychologist, has spent 21 years making sure that was all he would do from all the abuse he has suffered over the years and I think she has done a damn nice job of it. Though I should have a talk with him about the over acting and maybe going a little too far but then I think he was taking advantage of you Mrs. Hastings to try and get kicked off the tour which I hear you tried your best to do. As far as taking Mr. Collins license away. I have news for you. He had to jump through twice as many hoops to get the damn license as anyone else aboard this ship already, just because of his glasses and I will be damn if I am going to let a smart ass teacher used to throwing her weight around kids and parents tell me how to run my ship. Now get out of my sight before I have YOU psychoanalyzed. Hell, why not. Mrs. Collins. Schedule her for a few sessions please. She seems to be the one out of control around here. That is all, mass over. All you kids get out now!"

  Jolleen, Mark and Tom made a hasty retreat before someone could change their mind. They did not stop until they had left officers country far behind.

  The Captain said a few words with Marks and the other parents about him being too smart for his own britches and that she was glad things had worked out for the best. When only the Doctor with a couple of officers where left, she sat back and grabbed a cigar. “Well Doctor Wells. What do you think?”

  “The boy will be fine physically but I am afraid his ego is going to get him into trouble before long. The glasses have made him somewhat of an independent loner since grade school as well as somewhat of a rebel. I have heard a few things about him getting even with kids and adults that have treated him badly that bothers me even though it was restrained. With the boy putting such hopes in getting rid of his glasses to become normal looking and even a little superior and then not getting the implants, the boy may not know how to deal with it. Especially if the ridicule gets worse with his new glasses looking like bugs eyes even if they are not quit as noticeable. The roller coaster could get to be too much for the boy. Thank god his parents have been a settling and loving influence with his mother keeping him on an even keel. But know that he is about to be on his own without help, he could turn into a bitter revengeful, dangerous man that could get a bunch of people killed unintentionally in one of his capers to get even or revenge on his tormentors. It is a shame he is 21 and has to move out of his parent’s cabin at this critical time. He could use their calming effect as he gets over his disappointment.”

  The Captain smiled with a chuckle. “Yes Doctor. You just let me worry about getting his mind off those glasses and raising his social status. Though I am surprised how intelligent he suddenly sounds and to have him actually argue with me! Maybe I should have taken an interest in the boy sooner instead of taking it for granted his handicap made him a,, well, not a moron but not wholly there either." Taking a puff on her cigar she blew a ring across her desk as she shook her head slightly then continued. "What I was asking about is this implant replacement the boy has arranged. He is correct about our situation and if what he says is correct about the implants we would be fools not to let the Chief get the old ones replaced.”

  “Let the Chief!” The Doctor jaw practically hit the deck as he said it. “The Chief is not going to let you get near him with those new implants Captain. He is a stubborn old fart and does not take well to changes.”

  “Tell me about it Doctor. We have spent our last credits on new overhaul upgrades for our worn out inefficient drive engines that replace the parts that are too old and in too bad of shape to repair any longer while increasing their power and the Chief is putting up a stink about installing them. And without those upgrades we don’t stand a chance in the Outback. Hell we can't even lift off this damn planet without them with all the new cargo we are scheduling.” The Captain suddenly sat up and smiled. “But if he was down for a couple of days from the implant surgery we just may have the time we need to get the job done before he could interfere. Dr. Wells; I want you at this Doctors office when it opens in the morning and make sure these implants are 100% and get them and the Doctor here in the next few days.”

  “Captain, that is a waste of time and money. I can do the surgery myself if these implants are on the topside.”

  “Doctor; how many eye implant operations have you done in your life time?”

  “You know damn well Captain I have only done the one on the Chief. But they are simple and straight forward operations.”

  “Well Dr.; Mr. Collins has at least done his homework and this Doctor is considered to be the best eye surgeon on the planet if not the entire sector. This eye surgeon has done thousands for the military during t
heir resent war and has an Imperial Earth tech surgical machine to help from the report I have on him and now that I know he talked Mark out of getting the implants I am sure of it. You will do as I ask, learn from him as we are bound to see a bit of combat in the years ahead in the Outback and make sure he does not fuck up. You can leave worrying about the Chief consenting to the operation to me.”

  Chapter 7 Drop Dead Beautiful

  Mark, Jolleen and Tom stopped by the mess deck trying to get something to eat but everything was closed up with no sympathy from any of the cleanup cooks though they did manage to steel a few pieces of fried chicken from the cooler before they were chased out. “Well; we may as well run down to the truck deck and get my case. We can stop by the shop on the way. I think I saw some snacks down there last week.” They headed for the chain room at a run racing each other for the best of the snacks. Mark was about to get to the chain room first when a girl came out blocking the door at the last instant forcing Mark to veer to the side to miss her. Slamming into the bulkhead as Tom slipped by the girl into the chain room ahead of Mark. Jolleen slowed to a stop on the other side of the girl.

  Catching his breath Mark smiled at the girl. “Hi. Aaa. Sorry. I hope I did not scar you.”

  “No. Of course you didn’t scar me.” Smiling she looked at the ground. “Well maybe a little bit. You must be Mark Collins.”

  “Yes I am but I don’t recall who you are and I thought I knew everyone.”

  “You know me Mark. I am Mindy Ann Pardon.”

  “My God! You’re the Master at arms Sergeant’s daughter? No. My god star! You’re not flat chested anymore!” He said starring at her boobs jutting out in front of her in the much too small low cut halter top made for someone without boobs. “You have grown up so big since the last time I saw you.” As much of the bottom of her breasts were exposed as the top. She carried a light shirt in one hand.

  “I am a late bloomer. Did you really steel a bus full of kids to have your eyes replaced by implants?” She said disapprovingly as she stepped up to examined his eyes through the nearly invisible domes pressing her breasts into Mark's chest as she felt around his face. His eyes getting as big as gulf balls as he kept glancing down at her breasts trying to fall out free of their restraints without thinking.

  Swallowing he looked up into her eyes. “No. Just got some fancy glasses instead and no I did not kid nap a bunch of kids.”

  “Oh that is a big relief.” Mindy smiled. “I thought you might kid nap me.”

  “No. I only kidnap people I like.” Realizing what he had said he became flustered. "No I don't mean I don't like you. I... I…."

  Jolleen patted him on the back. "Nice going sweet lips." And slipped in through the hatch.

  Tom stuck his head out the Chain room hatch. “You coming? I am starving. Or are you going to let us have all the chips?”

  “I have to go anyway.” Mindy started walking across the Mess deck towered the elevator in the core, kind of walking sideways so she could talk to him as she left. “I am on my way home from a friends.” Waving open fingered at Mark; Mindy smiled ear to ear. “I like your new glasses. They look spaced. Maybe you could kidnap me some time if you think you like me.” Giggling she turned and ran off.

  Mark watched her run across the big open deck with her arms stiff down her sides as she kept turning around to look at him her enormous boobs flopping half out of the much too small halter top with each step as Tom came out to stand next to him. “Hey. She maybe drop dead beautiful but she is only 16... She will drop your ass, who just turned 21into the Brigg. You just magically became an adult. Come on… Are we going to get snacks or not?” He demanded with a smile as he started for the hatch.

  Mark watched her stop in front of the core elevator and raise her hands and arms above her head as both her breasts fell out into plain sight and pulled the shirt over her head and down covering it all. Then reached up under and fixed her breasts back into the halter-top as she gave Mark a wide grin and disappeared into the elevator.

  A Man came out of the chain compartment. “Hey watch it guys.” And then saw Mark narrowing his eyes. “Oh it is the blind Dweeb. Take the elevator before you fall off the platform and get hurt boy.”

  Mark turned to Tom with a big grin and pushed Tom away from the hatch and stepped around the man ignoring him. “I’m starved! You coming?” and made a mad dash threw the hatch where he jumped up onto the platform of the down Chain as the next platform arrived. The chain was actually a flat ribbon (called a cable by tradition) with attached brackets that ran inside a track on the bulkhead. Every 8 feet a detachable platform was attached to the cable big enough for a person to stand on. The cable and platforms ran through holes in the decks from the Mess deck at the bow of the ship down to the airlock/ quarter deck just below the truck and engine room decks at the very stern and back up again in one continues loop.

  Mark jumped off the platform on the junk deck before it came to a stop and leaped through Cargo Deck A’s hatch and out across the normally gloomy hold at that time of night. Jolleen was walking some 50 feet ahead of him. As she heard him coming through the hatch she turned and smiled then broke into a run down the midway. Dodging around Chet's families’ airtruck parked back in front of their maxi cargo container blocking part of the midway. Mark glanced at it as he ran around it noticing a broken ski in the rack on top, what looked like someone had kicked the side of the passengers hatch denting it and a lot of garbage and beer cans and the faint smell of burnt electrical windings from motors being over worked to many times bringing a smile to Mark's face as he speeded back up to catch Jolleen. "Hmm short vacation." Tom burst out of the chain room hatch at a run. Mark glanced over his shoulder and notice the truck was sitting strangely lopsided. The fans on one side had been pushed up at an angle a good foot. "Damn what moron landed that hard?" With Tom catching up to him Mark turned and sped away. Feeling sorry for the pour abused truck suddenly feeling bad about being the instigator of the abuse even if not the cause.

  Mark didn't catch up to Jolleen until just before they entered the backside tunnel into their hidden compound. Only a step ahead of her he had to slow down to swipe his finger across a hidden screen and Jolleen slipped around him and into the tunnel. Pulling his arm down to jerk his finger away from the screen as she went by. She was faster around the bends and through the tight spots than Mark and was half way across the compound going around the cars when Mark cleared the last obstacle trap and made a bee line for the shop. The other side of the cars had a clear area with chairs and tables around a fire pit and heater, creating another obstacle for Jolleen to go around as Mark jumped over his aircar using it to spring and slide his butt across the top of Toms old Ford and down the other side into a sprint as Jolleen came around the fire pit. Reaching the shop barely ahead of his friend, Mark ran through the workshop, then through the short passageway and dove into one of the lockers only to come up empty handed.

  “Hey! What happened to all the goodies?” Bellowed a disappointed Mark.

  Jolleen shot by Mark a half second later to another locker and started dragging out goodies. “Ha ha. I hid them yesterday.” And started chowing down, popping a soda from the fridge as she munched on chips doing a victory dance as Tom ran in out of breath grasping his chest as he gasped for air.

  Mark yelled as he tackled Jolleen wrestling a Ding Dong away from her then grabbing his own orange soda. He dropped onto the old ratty sofa as they both started laughing as Jolleen hit the controller for the video screen.

  Tom staggered toward the big chair. "I'm dying, someone put me out of my misery. OH cruel world."

  Jolleen tossed him a cupcake. "You can get your own soda slowpoke." Sitting their munching as they watched a video on the huge screen across the 10 foot wide end bulkhead. Mark looked around as the video’s song made the bulkheads vibrate and noticed something strange about the lockers across the middle partition of the cargo box. If he looked at one for a second he started seeing what was inside it. “
Wow. Oh ya, you should have seen the elevators passing on my way up to the Captain’s office and after we left. I could see into them and hear the people talking.”

  “What? Are you going bonkers on us now?” Jolleen said.

  Tom raised his soda and gasped. "Ya sounds like it."

  “No I am not kidding. I can see threw those lockers.” Narrowing his eyes and then smiling. “Oh ya. The Captain even had a blast pistol in the bottom drawer of her desk.” Looking at another locker for a second. “What is that?” Getting up he walked to a locker pulling it open and grabbed a bag of chocolate chip cookies. Tore it open and stuffed one in his mouth.”

  “Hey that is Peter's locker. He is going to be pissed at you for stealing his goodies.”

  “Hey he knows better than to hide valuables from the rest of us. Besides he needs to go on a diet anyway. But I suppose I should grab a bag tomorrow to replace them.” Grabbing a hand full of cookies and throwing Tom the bag as he heard something outside the box. He walked back through the workshop.

  Stepping out as he stuffed another bite of chocolate chip cookie in his mouth then taking a swig of orange soda. He stood there as the dark hold already brighter than normal for that hour slowly brightened and came alive around him. Watching the people around the hold through the junk and cargo boxes as if the junk was not there, walking and hearing them clearly talking in what he had thought was mostly a deserted and empty hold. That is except for all the junk. The old man coughed a good three hundred feet away sitting outside his shack at the end of an ally surrounded by piles of junk, reading an old fashioned paper bound book as he stroked his purring cat and smoking his pipe. A plasma heater sitting on the deck a few feet away providing warmth for an old man that was always cold and a light to read by in the night darkened dim hold.