Tramp Wars: The Enemy

by Larry Roberts

  “So what that is clear over in a compartment…” Suddenly dark clouds started billowing through the open hatches rushing towards them.

  “Chet opened the reticent mixing valve on at least one if not both of them too far. That would explain why he was bending over the canisters so long.” Mickey started talking so Dian could hear. At first she wondered who was talking since Mark was to busy breathing. Then she started paying attention to what the voice said and she forgot all about who the hell it was. “Generating the gas causes heat. Opening the valve to much will generate and allow too much heat to build up melting the components. The generators were supposed to generate poison over a half hour time period not 10 minutes. At ten minutes the generator did not just melt it blew up creating a super gas thousands of degrees hot and if the hot gas touches you it will go through your skin and kill you in seconds. You have to out run the cloud.”

  Dian took one look over her shoulder again and started out running Mark, dragging him along. “Move it buster.” She screamed at Mark.

  They reached the next bulkhead just as they heard another loud thump followed by another roar in the distance. Then splashed through the hatch and around the corner behind the bulk head as the cloud hit the bulkhead sending dark fingers rushing out through the open hatches.

  Mark was finding it harder and harder to breathe through the mask even after cleaning it again and again as they caught their breaths. “Damn it I can’t take much more of this running. Talking about being out of shape.”

  “You are not out of shape Mark. The poison even at the low dosage you have is starting to take effect. You need to get out of the tanks. The next tank should have an exit ramp.”

  “Good, about time.” Mark took Dian’s hand back and started trying to run but all he could do was a fast walk as his lungs started hurting.

  It took them several minutes to cross the tank but as soon as they stepped through the hatch, the twin beams of a stun gun hit the bulkhead next to them. Jumping back through the hatch Mark peeked around and spotted Chet standing at the top of the ramp with a full fledge pressure suit and not just a gas mask. He was not taking any chances that a gas mask was all he needed.

  “Damn!” A Black Cloud started pushing its way through the open hatched in the bulkhead they had come through a minute before. Shaking his head Mark looked up at the overhead hatch and then down at the water covered deck where that deck hatch should be and started for it letting go of Dian’s hand. “Our only chance now is that damn hatch. Come on!”

  Mark slogged his way over to the area. “Damn it Mickey help me find that hatch!”

  His vision changed and he sudden could see the drain running round the outer edge of the tank and many of the mounting brackets for the partitions that had once been there. But he could not see a hatch as he got closer and closer.

  “Mark we have to get out of here. Try talking to Chet again maybe he will listen to reason. Hell I will suck his damn dick if it will get us out of here.”

  Mark turned and looked at Dian shaking his head. He has already killed to guys he supposedly liked. Do you really think he will not kill me even if you suck his dick?” Mark sighed. “Go. He said he would spar you after he brain washed your mind into loving him. But remember he also told one of his goons to bash your head in after you got done pleasuring him.” Turning back to study the side of the tank. “It is your decision but I am going to find the hatch that has to be here.” Mark started coughing. Kneeling down he submerged his head and them squeezed the water out and started breathing again.

  Dian walked farther up the side of the hull and stopped. “Mark, what is this mark on the side of the hull for. It looks like a big faded arrow I think anyway.

  Mark rapidly sloshed up to her and looked. Slapping her on the back. “You found it.”

  Mark knelt down and started feeling around the deck with one hand as he held his mask over his face with the other.

  The thick dark cloud boiling through the hatches towards them.

  “Only thing is. The truck deck is below us and if this hatch is directly over the entrance hatch it is 30 feet to the deck below.” Mark smiled through his mask. “The fall could kill us.” Chuckling. “And if it happens to be where junk is piled to the overhead on the storage shelves we may not be able to get through.”

  The dark cloud kept getting closer and closer. Fingers already reached clear across the tank to hit the bulkhead with Chet on the other side of. It rapidly started filling up the compartment from the opposite end back. They could hear hissing were the hot cloud touched the water as it approached them.

  “Damn it! I can’t find the emergency release. It should be right there. I think I can feel something but the plate just won’t move.” Mark grunted trying to push down with one hand as he watched the cloud getting closer. “Damn it, Dian hold my mask on for me so I can use both hands.”

  Mark had to dip his head down below the water to use both hands. Taking a couple of deep breaths that hurt more than he could believe. He worked for a good minute before he had to come up for air. The heat radiation from the approaching cloud hit his face as soon as he surfaced. Dian still holding his mask on squeezing out the water so he could breathe.

  Taking several breaths Dian put her face close to his. “The cloud will be over us in another minute and then we will have only the air in our lungs to breath. If we surface again we die. I can hold my breath for 6 minutes. If you need air, kiss me and I will give you some. Just the act of breathing between us will help quell your panic and allow you to go on for another or so minute.” She took another deep breath as the cloud got closer and closer. “How can I help you open the hatch?”

  “There is supposed to be a roughly 5 inch square plate with a yellow outline around it that says emergency on it. Since there is air pressure on the other side, all we should have to do is push in the plate, grab the handle and pull.” Mark ignored what else had to be done if there was vacuum on one side. “To damn much silt to see a stupid yellow square with emergency written in it but it should be somewhere outside around the hatch but I can’t even see for sure were the hatch is. I think I see an outline but with these flush hatches the cracks can get damn fine and hard to see. Especially with all the silt.” The hissing from the approaching fingers of the cloud was getting louder.

  “Ok.” Dian said shaking her head. “We can’t come back up so I will use my mask cloth to clean around the hatch. Just draw me a line where you want me to clean using your finger. Don’t swish your hand across the deck. All you will do is make a cloud of silt you can’t see through.” Mark cringed. That was what he had already tried and stopped when all he wound up with was a cloud. Dian continued having to yell over the din of the approaching cloud hissing on the water. Clouds of steam boiling up where it touched the water. “Use your mask cloth to wipe in slow strokes just around the hatch only going one way, trapping the silt in the cloth like a broom. Don’t lift it off the deck until it is well away from the hatch area or you will wind up with a cloud we can’t see through. Then squeeze it out well away before bringing it back to do it again.”

  Looking around Mark shook his head at the boiling cloud. Taking another couple of deep breaths with her he shook his head up and down in response to Dian shaking hers as they both took one final deep breath of the lung searing air and they dropped their heads below the water. Mark could see the fine bubbles forming on the surface as the cloud covered the water over them. Mark used his hands waving back and forth to push himself down towards the deck.

  Turning, he looked for the hatches outline in the silt with Mickey’s help thank full that the cloud he had created from before had dissipated already. Finding the faint crack he did as Dian had asked and used his finger to start drawing along the crack as he used his finger nail to make sure the crack was there. Though even using only his finger he still managed to stir up a small cloud so he stopped. Took his cloth and used it as a broom or inverted shovel with the outer edge of his palm scraping against th
e deck trapping the slime into the cloth. He started at the bulkhead and wiped a long wide trail around two sides of the hatch before moving his hand away from the hatch area still on the deck before lifting and wringing out the sludge. When he turned back Dian was already widening the streak he had made starting at the bulkhead or actually the ship’s hull he told himself.

  He wiped the third side of the hatch the same way starting at the hull then widening the side across from the hull he had already wiped a line on. They soon had a good wide strip around three sides of the hatch well cleaned he thought but still no sight of the damn square emergency release as he pounded around the cleared area with his doubled up fist hoping to find a hatch but to no avail.

  In desperation as he glanced up at the boiling surface above, starting to run out of air, he started cleaning the hatch itself. Dian stopped pounding around the hatch like he had been doing and started helping clean the hatch not being as carful creating a growing cloud to his side that threatened to drift over the hatch. They soon had the hatch cleaned off but Mark had to put his face right over the top of the hatch to see anything but again he could not see anything.

  Starting to panic, he pounded on the hatch and then his head hit the hull scraping a thin film of slim into his hair. Then as he drifted away to pound a different section he looked up to keep from hitting it again and saw two 90 degree intersecting yellow lines where his hair had cleaned the hull about a foot off the deck. Feeling incredibly stupid he realized that the emergency release had to be on the hull or someone could have stepped on it just walking by.

  With Dian pounding the hatch next to him Mark hit the middle of where the square had to be and his hand disappeared into a hole. Grabbing the handle inside, he pulled but it did not move. Bringing his legs around pushing Dian out of the way he tried again but the handle did not budge. In desperation and completely out of air he pushed the button on the side of the handle and twisted it 90 degrees as if there was vacuum on the other side of the hatch and pulled again with all his might. His shoulder breaking the surface sending searing pain into his mind as he screamed.

  The handle pulled out until it was level with the hull and Mark used it to pull his shoulder back below as he realized he had no air left in his lungs and no air to breath.

  Then the hatch slid open and sucked him through butt first, ripping his hand off the handle.

  As Mark was washed across the top of pallets of truck parts and boxes of maintenance supplies he saw Dian flushed through the hole following close behind him.

  Then he saw the edge of the platform and the 30 foot drop to the truck deck far below. Just when he thought he was going over the edge he dropped down between the pallets and the safety railing that ran along the outer edge. Dian dropping down next to him but then the rush of water started to push her through the rails and over the side.

  Mark grabbed Dian pulling her back between the rails and rolled her over the top of him into the corner below the top of the boxes protecting her from the flood washing over the top. As boxes and parts and equipment started flowing over the side he realized that the pallet of boxes was going to be following shortly so he started crawling away from the deluge dragging Dian with him until they were out of the main stream of water.

  Crawling along the catwalk using the safety rail with Dian crawling ahead of him, they were finally able to stand up and run as more and more pallets behind them went over the side taking the safety rail with them.

  Finally safe they sat down trying to catch their breath. “Mickey sound the Class 1 vacuum alarm.”

  “Mark we are on the planet England Prime. There is no Vacuum outside the ship.”

  “Damn it Mickey don’t fucking argue just do it if you have contact with the ship.” Taking another deep breath and coughing as the alarm started sounding. “That will seal every deck cutting the air supply from the farm to the rest of the ship. Now put in a Hazardous Chemical fire alarm for the tank deck. That compartment the boys died in specifically but have the whole deck as secondary.” Taking another deep breath Mark started coughing again. “Can you check to make sure the farm and tank decks are isolated? That their hatches are closed.”

  “Yes Mark I am in contact with the Admiral. The deck hatch from the tank deck to the farm is locked open. He is asking permission to blow the hull hatches on the car deck or what you call the tank deck. To vent the poison out of the ship before the acid cloud destroys the whole farm deck.”

  “Hell yes! I didn’t know there were any hull hatches on that deck to be blown but why would he need my permission?” Two distant booms shook the ship followed by a distant crash echoing in through the truck hatch not far away as the hatch was closing with the Vacuum alarm echoing across the deck.

  “Protocols Mark.” Said the Admiral and I decided to use this opportunity to increase your standing with the rest of the crew by getting your permission since you are the officer on the scene. There is also one other thing you need to do right now.”

  “Mark.” Dian looked from the mass of water washing equipment and parts off the platform down onto the truck deck. “We have to get to sick bay now for the poison antidote and treatment.”

  “Ok. Admiral, so call out the medics.”

  “I already have Mark but you need to report the murders and attempted murders.”

  “Come on. We were almost dead a minute ago. Can’t that wait?”

  “No.”

  “Ok Mickey get me the Chief Master at Arms.”

  Dian stood up and walked back to the closest side stream of water and started cleaning out the cloth she had been using for a mask. Taking apart the layered strips of torn up tee shirt.

  “What the hell is going on? Who is this? I am busy so speak up or get off the line.”

  “Ens...” Mark cleared his throat. “This is Commander Collins. I am reporting two murders and two attempted murders by Chet Greedly, his father Mr. Greedly and an associate. They murdered two kids in tank number 4 using two Cargo hold poison gas generating canisters. Dian Abraham and I just barely escaped dropping through a deck hatch onto the truck deck storage platform after being shot at by Chet Greedly wearing a vacuum suit in the North ramp tank bay when we tried to escape.” Mark started coughing. Taking half a few seconds to clear his lungs enough to talk again as the Master at Arms started shouting orders. When the Chief stopped shouting Mark continued. “Both canisters exploded and I called the vacuum alarm to seal the decks to keep the poison from spreading since some ass hole locked the hatch to the farm deck open and I just had the external hull hatches blown to vent the poison. Though the tanks are still going to be toxic for quite a while so I don’t know how much evidence is going to be left once the poison finishes breaking down all the DNA. Evidentially the gas is twice as deadly when it explodes than when it is simply generated.” Reading a flash from Mickey about the properties and makeup of the gas. “Something about the high heat and pressure creating a completely different molecule that is more acid than poison. Damn nasty stuff.” Mark coughed as something dawned on him. “Chief, I don’t know if the firefighting suits can handle acid like that. You have to tell the Damage Control Chief to stay back out and off the damn deck or the crews could be eaten alive.”

  “You don’t say Commander. Where are you know?”

  “Platform 10 on the truck deck getting ready to head for sickbay. That is some nasty poison.” Mark started coughing again as he watched Dian take one of the 6 inch strips from her mask and wrapped one around her breasts tying a knot in it to hold it in place. Then tied another one around her hips making a belt out of it. Making Mark wonder why since it did not cover anything. Then she threaded another 6 inch wide strip into the back leaving a flap hanging down then pulled it across her butt between her legs and up to slide it around the belt letting the free end dangle across her front. The outfit she had created look so damn sexy to Mark he could not believe it but it covered everything important.

  She quickly helped him do the same and Mark realized thei
r outfits made them look more like Tarzan and Jane of the jungle than Starship Officers.

  Dian smiled at Mark as her head started lolling around. Dropping to her knees she promptly coughed up blood across the deck. Looking back up at Mark she gave him a scarred helpless look. “We are dying Mark.”

  Mark grabbed one of the strips she had cleaned and used it to clean her mouth and face. Then picked her up and headed for the ladder a few feet away. Thanking Godstar it was a ship’s deck ladder that was just steep and not a bulkhead ladder that was strait up and down. He dropped down it taking several steps at a time from practice and ran across the truck deck dodging around fallen equipment and supplies toward the elevator.

  Reaching the elevator it opened up as a gurney rolled out surrounded by medics and a Doctor.

  Mark laid Dian on the gurney and promptly pushed it back into the elevator. Mark grabbing the Doctor and dragging him in behind the gurney. The hatch seemed to slam closed leaving half the medics outside the hatch baffled.

  Mark turned to the Doctor. “She! We. Have been poisoned.” Mark said and then rattled off what Mickey flashed in front of him concerning the makeup of the hold fumigation poison.

  “How do you know that was the poison?” Asked the Doctor. “If you are wrong the antidote will kill you both.” Shaking his head. “No one makes that shit unless some fool detonated the hold fumigating canisters.”

  Mark swallowed. “I saw the canisters, watched them kill a couple kids as we ran from the gas they were generating. Then we heard them blow up while we were in the middle of the next tank and then saw the black cloud chasing us frying the water around us. Luckily we were under water when the cloud hit us but I still got my shoulder burned opening the damn deck hatch and my shoulder broke the surface.” Mark showed him his blistering shoulder. Watching the Doctors eyes grow big as he turned to work on Dian.

  Leaving the two medics working on Dian the Doctor shook his head. “No. The damn gas would have killed you without masks.”