by Ben Winston
Mid-morning, Ian’s communit beeped at him. He was somewhat surprised to hear John Harris when he answered.
“I’m sorry to disturb you sir, but one of my crew has been doing some research as an off time hobby, and I think she might have come up with something that may interest you. Would it be possible to get a few moments of your time this morning?”
“Certainly Chief; you can come up right now if it’s really urgent,” Ian replied.
“Well, I don’t know about urgency, it’s hard to assign a priority to something like this, so I’m falling back on long standing naval tradition; I’m passing the buck.”
Ian laughed and told them to come on up. Crewman Janica Taylor was unique in that she was the first really plain looking woman Ian had seen since getting here. He’d originally thought that Janet and her people had been recruiting only ‘attractive people’, as ludicrous as that sounds, because he had yet to see a women that he would call unattractive.
Crewman Taylor wasn’t unattractive, but she wasn’t what could be called pretty either. However, her looks aside, she was one sharp cookie; once seated, she got right to the point.
“Sir, as a hobby, I’ve been researching the price of oil, and why it’s the price it is, how many barrels a day we use as a planet, that sort of thing. Now, I have all the research to back it up, but the bottom line is, we’re not using all the oil we’re producing.”
While not really seeing how this information fit into the big picture, it was interesting. “So, is it being stockpiled somewhere? I’d once heard that there were these huge tanks in Oklahoma...” Ian began.
“With respect sir, no one’s stock piling it; it’s simply disappearing. I triple checked the figures, and we’re talking about thousands of barrels of crude oil a month. The really strange part of all this is that the amount is large enough that it should have been noticed by somebody. Something this big should be all over the newspapers, but there’s nothing,” Taylor said. “I thought it was just massively odd enough to tell the Chief.”
Ian sat in thought for a moment. He knew this was important, but he just couldn’t put his finger on why. “Crewman, could you please make your data available to us? I’m not sure why, but your information has twigged the ‘this is important’ flag in my head. If it’s alright with you, I may have the XO give you a call to ask questions. Thank you both for bringing this to my attention.”
Jenny was sick this morning, and Ian had told her to take the morning off. He’d noticed Beth was a bit ‘green around the gills’ too, but hadn’t said anything. She was the Doctor, she should know if she was able to work or not. Not for the first time, Ian wondered how Cindy was doing.
John and a nodding Crewman Taylor stood. “With your permission, sir, Ensign Talena is going to take me to see those folks we spoke about yesterday. I should have something to report later today,” John said.
“Excellent! Carry on, and thanks again, Janica. I really do think this is important, I’m just not sure how yet,” Ian told the grinning Flight Tech.
“Jesus Beth! I’m so sick I haven’t eaten in two days! How long does this last?” Cindy asked over the communit.
“It’s morning sickness, love. It can last anywhere from a couple of more weeks or until the baby comes. It’s different for every woman. If it helps, both Jenny and I are sicker than dogs too. Ian and Talena are doing their best to take care of us; hell, Ian even ordered Jenny to take this morning off. I was really tempted to join her, but I’ve got to help orient Andrea Johnson,” Beth replied.
“Gods! I envy you! I don’t even have anyone to cuddle with up here. Your nurse, Terri, is hot for one of the engineers, and she spends her time up in the main Medbay anyway. Cadet Alvarez is Catholic, and objects to homosexual contact, so she’s out. I try to help Barb and her deck gang, but I think she knows exactly what’s wrong with me, because she won’t give me any real work, and won’t even think of letting me help repair the launch system,”
Beth chuckled. “Good! You should be taking it easy, not crawling around on your belly in a launch tube. Besides, it’s only for a couple more days. Ian and Jenny are planning a Graduation Party for you on Thursday, just before we all move up to the ship.”
“Ugh! Could you try to talk them out of it? I really doubt I’ll feel like a party any time soon. Unless it’s in bed with all of you. If I’m not in the head getting sick, I’m so damn horny I feel like I could wear all of you out. But I do hope I get to eat something soon. I’m getting hungry, but every time I smell food, I’m running for the head.”
Beth typed in a couple of commands on her terminal. “I’m sending something to your replicator that should help ease the nausea. Drink all of it, and you should be able to eat in about a half hour. You can have another one in the morning, and it should hold you the whole day. I’ll give you a check-up when you get back down here, Wednesday.”
“Thank you, but what about the horns? Got anything for that?” Cindy asked.
“Sorry honey, but you'll be back here in a couple of days, and I'm sure you won't have any trouble finding volunteers to cuddle with!” Beth replied.
Chapter Nineteen
“Sir, this is Ty Anders, and his team; Lee Cole, Steve Barrows, Joel Wayne, Samantha (Sam) Lewis, and Tabitha Harris,” Major Harris said by way of introduction. “Folks, let me introduce my Commanding Officer, Commander Ian Williams.”
Ian found the group waiting for him when he got back to his office. Ian had been a little apprehensive about meeting a seal team in person. Like most young men, he held those members of the special ops area of warfare in awe. He felt that these men and women deserved the thanks of the entire nation, but wouldn’t get it since they could never admit to doing anything other than ‘training’.
The small group came to attention, and Anders saluted. Ian returned it with a Talosian salute. “Relax folks. I assume Major Harris has been busy showing all of you around?”
Janet had been with the group, and since she was smiling, knew they never stood a chance
“The facility is very impressive, Sir. Mrs. Laskar has been filling us in on everything you’re trying to do, and why,” Anders replied.
“Please, have a seat everyone. May I get anyone something to drink?” Ian asked politely, and gesturing to the small conference table. Tabitha Harris got back up to help Ian carry drinks since everyone was thirsty.
Ian grinned at the tall, dark-skinned beauty. “Harris, huh? Any relation to John?”
Very carefully keeping a straight face, she replied. “Yes sir. He’s my brother.”
Ian’s grin grew. “I see. I’ll try not to hold that against you.”
At the table, John snorted in amusement. Tabitha’s eyes sparkled in humor, but she still kept her face impassive. “Thank you, sir. It was a concern.”
Ian busted out laughing, and Tabitha’s stoic expression finally shattered as she chuckled.
“She got you there, Major!” Ian said.
“She’s very good at that, sir. However, if I remember correctly, she still owes me two or three,” Major Harris replied.
“I’m afraid the Major is mistaken, Sir, I would never engage in a battle of wits with an unarmed opponent,” Tabitha said, grinning at her brother.
After Ian and Tabitha returned to the table, Janet picked up, apparently where she had left off so they could meet Ian. However, just before lunch, all of them agreed to the job, and took the oath. John led the group out of the office to introduce them to the gate guard, Tommy.
After they returned from their trip, Brittney was checking out the local university snack bar when a woman introduced herself. Her name was Barbara Carter and she worked for a new corporation that was forming. They were looking for certain people to recruit.
As they spoke Brittney got the feeling that this woman had actually been looking for her. Before they parted, Brittney had agreed to have the woman over to meet her mother and talk some more about this ‘exciting new opportunity’.
Well, aft
er listening to this Barbara Carter, and talking it over for a while, they decided to check it out and called Barbara back. They moved to a small community in New Mexico. When they first saw the community, they revisited concerns that this was some kind of cult. Barb had assured them that whatever their religious beliefs were, no one would try to coerce them into believing anything different. Not only that, they were welcome to leave anytime they wanted to.
The community was amazing. They were assigned a house and were asked to take a skills assessment exam that was available on the computer system already set up in the house.
Brittney became a research assistant and was invited to begin taking her college classes via the computer system. Valerie was asked to wait a few days until her legal talents could be put to use. Amazingly enough, and for the first time in her life, Brittney began to make friends. No one seemed to care at all about the fact that she was already finished with high school, they only seemed to be slightly envious.
“Commander Williams, this is Ensign Saunders.”
Ian grinned; he’d been expecting this call. “Williams here, go ahead.”
“The system is set-up, and ready to go. You mentioned that you wanted to know when I got it ready to, uh, play,” Saunders said hesitantly.
“Excellent! You’re over by the old arcade, right?” Ian asked.
“Yessir, right beside it. I think you might want to hurry; I’ve gathered a pretty good crowd of kids waiting to get inside,” Saunders replied.
“I’ll be right there, Ensign; Williams out.”
When Ian got over to the new double wide, he saw the group of kids, and one very sweaty Ensign Saunders – wearing duty coveralls and ship boots, complete with rank insignia.
“Hey Lyle! What are you wearing?” Ian glanced at the kids to let Saunders know that some kind of explanation for the uniform was needed.
“This is something us nerds came up with. We thought it would be neat to come up with a uniform like the ones in the game. I forgot to change before coming out here. Damn it’s hot!” Saunders said, thinking quickly and trying not to look panicked.
“Yeah, it’s pretty warm. You have to be really careful about that out here. Now, why don’t you show me what you folks have come up with before we let the kids in here to see if they like it?” Ian asked grinning at the closest bunch.
Ian had noticed that a few of them had been a little concerned over the fact that the guy setting up the trailer was wearing a uniform, but he could no longer see any apprehension. In fact, the kids were grinning in anticipation. Ian wondered where Talena was since she was usually with the group.
Saunders led Ian into the ‘shack’ and showed him the ten cockpits, and the big screen that would allow external observation. Ian just grinned, and climbed into the closest cockpit.
“Hook me up, Saunders.”
Saunders grinned. “Yessir! It’ll take a minute for the software to adjust to a single player, so watch your screen; it’ll let you know when it’s ready. Tap your laser trigger to start the sim.”
Ian nodded his understanding as the canopy closed. While he waited, he wanted to make sure Talena was alright.
“Talena, this is Ian. Are you alright honey?”
“Uh, yeah. I was assisting Major Harris in Flight control,” she replied.
To Ian’s ears, she didn’t sound like her normal, cheerful, self. He got the impression something was bothering her, but didn’t think the communit was the place to try to discover what it was.
“Okay sweetheart. I just got worried when I didn’t see you with the rest of the group here. How would you like to have lunch with me? Just the two of us?”
“That... sounds... really good, Ian. Where would you like to meet?” Talena asked.
“Hmm, I have an idea about that, but let me make sure about it. How about you let me surprise you?” Ian asked.
Ian could hear Talena’s light chuckle. “Okay Ian. Just let me know where and when.”
Ian saw the ‘ready’ icon flashing on the forward viewscreen, so he ended the call. “Well, Saunders wanted me to test the new toy before the kids got a hold of it, so I better get to it. I’ll see you after?”
“Ah, so you’re the one holding things up. You better get busy, or these kids are going to pull you out of there!” Talena replied, sounding much more like herself, though Ian could still hear a difference in her voice.
Ian chuckled. “I love you, Little Kitten.”
Ian thought he heard her sob, but she whispered back. “I love you too, Ian.” She cleared her throat. “I do think you should get busy. They are getting restless out here.”
“Williams out,” Ian said and tapped the trigger for the lasers.
Ian had no idea how long he was in the simulator, but he was having a blast. His mind was telling him it was only a game, but his body and his senses were telling him he was really in one of the small, agile, fighters.
Since there was no scoring display in the cockpit, he had no idea how he was doing, but took it as a good sign that the system never managed to kill him off, even when it ambushed him with a whole squadron of enemy fighters. When he finally got the order to return to base, he found he was sweating, his heart was racing, and he felt really alive. The simulation had been extremely real, even to the point of using the real voices of the men and women that would have the job of supporting the fighters.
Ian exited the cockpit to the applause and whistles of Talena’s ‘students’. Ian blushed but bowed to the kids.
“I’m trying to tell them the importance of teamwork, and trusting your wingman, and you go and blow everything I’ve said out of the water!” Talena said winking at Ian.
“Nope! Lyle shifted the game parameters for a single pilot. If I had tried to play the full version by myself, I wouldn’t have lasted ten seconds. Trust me here, Talena knows what she’s talking about; she and Cindy did the alpha testing on this system. Speaking of which, please let us know what you think of it; we’re planning a whole bunch of installations all over the country if you guys don’t find any problems with it,” Ian said smiling at the kids.
“Where is Cindy? We haven’t seen her in a week,” one young girl asked.
“She had to take a shuttle full of people up to the ship, she’ll be back tonight,” Ian said grinning.
“COOL!” the girl said excitedly.
Talena was looking at Ian like he was insane. Ian winked at her before turning back to the group. “Relax, she only went to check out a couple colleges, but she will be back tonight. I’ll let her know you guys missed her. Have fun!”
As Talena corralled her group, Ian joined Ensign Saunders at the control terminal. “Nice save with the cover story for the uniform, Ensign, but try to remember to change before you come up again.”
“Yessir, I honestly didn’t think about it. It won’t happen again,” the young man replied.
“As soon as you can, get up to the Admin building so you can slip down to the base and change. Those clothes are way too heavy for this climate,” Ian ordered.
With a final ‘Yessir’ from Saunders, Ian headed back to the Admin building.
“Armory to Command.” Debbie Reynolds’ face appeared on Ian’s monitor.
“Williams here; whatcha got, Chief?” Ian replied, accepting the video call.
“Sir, I just got a request from a Lieutenant Anders in Security for a whole bunch of stuff. I didn’t even know we had a security department,”
Ian chuckled. “We do now. They are for down here though, so if you can get the order on the shuttle that’s returning it would be great.”
“Uh, sir, they are asking for a pretty strange mix of stuff. I mean, MP5’s a man-portable mini-gun. A couple of M60’s, ten pulse-rifles, assault team body-armor... Sir, they even want two armed RAVs!” Major Reynolds replied. “I didn’t think you wanted Talosian weapons on the surface?”
A soft knock was quickly followed by Janet Laskar sticking her head in the door.
Ian waved her i
n, but continued the call. “Well, normally I wouldn’t, but these folks are going to be protecting our people down here. If Ty thinks he might need pulse rifles, and body armor, then I think we should give it to him. He knows we need to maintain a cover, so I doubt he’ll be using those rifles unless the shit really hits the fan.”
“I’ll take that as Command approval then, and get busy with getting the shuttle loaded. Sorry to bother you, Sir,” the Major replied.
Ian chuckled. “You know, I think we should invite the three of you over for dinner when we get up there. I know the ladies would love to see Stevie again.”
A chuckle answered Ian. “Careful, sir, he just might steal them away from you!”
Ian grinned at her reply. “We’ll give you guys a call when we get moved in.”
“We’ll look forward to it, Sir. Talk to you then.”
Ian smiled and winked as the call ended. He turned his attention to Janet. “What can I do for you?
Janet’s sad smile faded a little. “Ian, we need to talk about Talena.”
Chapter Twenty
“What do you mean, Janet? Is something going to happen to her?” Ian asked, urgently.
“I don’t know, Ian; I haven’t had a premonition about her. But what I have seen in her are the signs of a deep depression. She’s never really grieved the loss of her mother and Starlin has she?”
Ian looked thoughtful as he tried to remember. But he found that, in fact, Talena hadn’t mourned the loss of her loved ones. “No, she hasn’t. She is also acting a little weird. The other night when we were going over to the Johnson’s, we were talking about the group dynamics here. She started to say something about asking someone something, but she stopped. When I asked her if she was alright, she said she was, but I could tell something was bugging her. One minute she’s happily talking away, then the next she clams-up like she’s upset about something.”
