by Gary Weston
Shorty said, ‘I knew men weren’t totally dumb. We latch the the new thrusters on the side, and the controller on the top where it’s supposed to be.’
‘That’ll get us both killed if we do that.’
Shorty said, ‘Hey. If we make it, we got nothing to worry about.’
‘And if we don’t make it?’
Shorty grinned. ‘Then I guess we still have nothing to worry about. Give me a hand with the thrusters on this side.’
Croxfort grabbed the new unit with Shorty on the other side. Ignoring the optical illusion of everything flashing by, they inched the unit to the side of the probe where it was never intended to go.
‘There’s nothing to secure it too, Shorty.’
‘It doesn’t matter. You just hold it here.’
Croxfort did that as Shorty scrambled around the probe, pulling a safety-line with her. She looped it about the odd shaped vessel, and around the new propulsion unit. With her feet jammed hard on the probe, Shorty had two good loops around the unit, and she pulled hard on the line, before tying it off.
‘Seventeen minutes, Shorty,’ warned Dorran.
‘Yeah? All that time? I might just take a nap. Lieutenant. Help me get the control unit in place.’
Croxfort climbed over the probe, staying away from the business end of the original thrusters. One thruster spluttered and sent the probe in a spin, but it was still heading towards the moon. They were almost flung away from the spinning probe without safety-lines, then the misbehaving thruster fired up and the probe became stable again, still going for the bullseye of the moon, now looking very large to the two D S I officers, clinging on for all they were worth.
‘Fourteen minutes,’ said Dorran.
Millet yelled, ‘Captain Millet. Get off that pile of junk, now.’
‘Sorry, sweetie. I’m kinda busy right now. Have a beer waiting for me.’
The control unit was a little easier to mount on the top of the probe, until Croxfort said, ‘It’s the wrong way round. We have to plug these leads in and they won’t reach from here.’
‘Now you tell me. Ok. Try again. And up and turn, and up and turn, and one more time. The leads still won’t reach.’
‘Eleven minutes,’ said Dorran.
‘Such a ray of sunshine, that man. Lieutenant. Back about two feet. Keep well away from those thrusters.’
‘Nothing to secure it on.’
Shorty said, ‘What ever happened to positive mental attitude?’
‘It all depends on how close we are to death, I guess.’
Dorran said, ‘Nine minutes.’
‘That close?’ said Shorty. ‘Just get that line around this unit, Lieutenant. Now would be good.’
‘Shorty!’ screamed Millet.
‘Hey. That hurt my ears. Calm down, Frank.’
Croxfort had the first loop around the control unit and had started on his second loop. It was all the line they had, not enough because of both units not being in their intended places.
‘We have to get off this damn thing, Shorty.’
‘Gimme that line.’
Shorty took the end of the line from Croxfort and stood up with her legs apart, the line wrapped around her broad back and shoulders. ‘Get the leads plugged in and be quick about it.’
With Shorty literally holding the crude rig together using just brute strength and will power, Lieutenant Croxfort took the end of the connecting leads from the control unit and plugged them into the new thrusters, less than one half inch of slack on the third and final connection.
‘Got it, Shorty.’
‘Four minutes,’ said Dorran.
‘Fire the units up,’ yelled Shorty. ‘Hurry.’
The moon loomed large, and any hope of avoiding collision seemed all but gone.
‘The control unit isn’t responding,’ said Dorran.
‘Probably needs fine tuning,’ said Shorty. ‘Hold on.’ Shorty dragged herself around to the control unit. She rolled over onto her back and with both booted feet, slammed a well aimed kick at the uncooperative unit. ‘Dorran. Try that.’
‘Two minutes, Shorty. Anything happening?’
Shorty said, ‘Funny you should mention that. Not a whole lot, to be honest with you.’ With her strong right arm, she aimed a punch at the control unit. The result was instantaneous and dramatic. The new thrusters burst into life and competed against the weaker power of the old thrusters. The antique probe protested by taking on an erratic flight pattern. As if riding a bucking bronco, the officers could do nothing but to hold on’
‘Thirty seconds,’ Shorty.
‘Then learn how to fly this scrapheap.’
The new and old thrusters found a strange harmony and both Shorty and Croxfort felt a strange albeit shifting of course. General Millet closed his eyes and prayed hard. It was all he had left in his tank. Shorty and Croxfort stared at the ugly looking, crater infested rock and held on with one hand and grasped each other with their other hands. Then the original thrusters died, and the new ones took over. With the last six seconds at his disposal, Dorran had the probe heading away from the moon and racing into deep space.
‘They did it,’ yelled a jubilant General Millet.’
‘They sure did,’ agreed Dorran. ‘Now all we have to do is find out where the hell they’re heading and catch them.’
Chapter 307
‘A good job somebody has their eyes on their balls,’ said Mario Luppino. ‘I got them in my sights. You just track me; I’ll go pick them up and meet you on our way Home.’
General Millet said, ‘Shorty. How is your air supply?’
‘Not bad, seeing as how we are on a runaway probe. Maybe two hours.’
‘Hear that, Mario?’
‘I’ll be with them in twenty minutes. How do we stop that thing without compromising any data?’
Frogmorten butted in. ‘Removing that breaker should have done it. Jackie and I are checking out the schematics for a definitive answer.’
‘A nice idea,’ said Luppino, not diluting the sarcasm. ‘We’ll match speeds with the probe, get the passengers onto my ship and wait for your all inspiring guidance.’
Frogmorten got up, and with a gesture for Jackie Cracker to follow him, said, ‘We’ll be right back with a solution, General, Sir.’
‘How very reassuring. I can hardly wait for the next exciting instalment.’
‘Right. Back…soon.’
With the young boffins away to confer, Dorran said, ‘Geeks. Priceless or worthless?’
‘The jury is still hung on that one,’ said Millet. ‘You have Luppino?’
‘Right here,’ said Luppino. ‘As luck would have it, Shorty and Croxfort are not far off the route for Home.’
‘We can use some luck about now. Captain Dorran. Have you any control of that probe?’
Dorran said, ‘One way to find out. Shorty?’
‘We are here. Where else would we be?’
‘That’s the spirit. Look. Hang on tight, because we want to check that we have control of that probe you two are sitting on.’
‘Ok. You just remember Lieutenant Croxfort and the wife of your beloved general are hanging onto this thing by the skins of our teeth.’
‘Really? Just a suggestion, but you could try using your hands instead.’
‘Hey,’ snarled Shorty. ‘The only time you’re funny is when you look in the mirror.’
‘You two just hop aboard Captain Luppino’s ship and leave the experts to deal with the probe.’
Shorty said, ‘Sure. You got one of those?’
General Millet said, ‘Pull your head in, Shorty. It was you who disobeyed my direct orders, remember? I could have you court-marshelled and banged up in the slammer for a few years.’
‘No shit. Just make sure we have conjugal visiting rights.’
Millet laughed. ‘I’ll let you off with a caution. Get on Mario’s ship and I’ll give you a good talking to, later.’
‘I love it when you talk dirty to me. Mario.
Come and whisk me away from all this.’
Mario chuckled. ‘Shorty. You have awakened my most secret desires. Just don’t tell that husband of yours.’
‘Too late, Mario,’ said Millet. ‘I heard every word. Kindly go and collect my captain and lieutenant, if you would be so kind?’
‘For you, Sir, anything.’
Mario soon caught up with the probe with the two suited figures sitting on it. He matched speeds and opened the ship’s airlock.
‘Ok. Enough playing around. In you get, you two.’
They were about twenty yards apart, and all it required was a leap of faith off the cumbersome looking probe, over to the airlock and safety. Croxfort went over first, landing delicately in the middle of the airlock.
‘Four out of five for artistic interpretation,’ quipped Luppino. ‘I’m not expecting such elegance from you, Shorty.’
‘What? You think I don’t do elegance?’
‘Not in the twenty years I’ve known you.’
‘Pig. Drum-roll please. Get this recorded because it will need to go in the training manuals. And, here I go.’
It was an impressive double back-flip, and a triple twist followed by an uncomfortable slamming into the side of the ship. Croxfort reached out, grabbed Shorty’s arm and dragged her inside the airlock.
‘Hmm,’ snorted Luppino. ‘That routine needs much work. I give you three out of five.’
‘Everyone’s a critic,’ said Shorty.
Chapter 308
Commander Felix Gordon passed on the good news to Boss. ‘They have the probe and it’s still functioning. One day away from meeting up with the freighter.’
‘Excellent,’ said Boss. ‘No problems encountered so far, then?’
‘I wouldn’t exactly say that. According to General Millet, Shorty and Lieutenant Croxfort inadvertently triggered the probe’s thrusters to full power and they hadn’t fitted the new thrusters and the control unit. They were seconds away from crashing into that moon when they managed to get the new thrusters working and they missed the moon by a whisker.’
‘Wow,’ said Boss. ‘But they are safe now?’
Gordon nodded. ‘Shorty has a bruised shoulder from banging into the ship, but otherwise fine.’
Boss shook his head and sighed. ‘I just hope that damn probe is worth all this trouble. I, or rather Miss Saltoe, has to reconcile the expenditure in the budget. It has to be justified to the Interplanetary Council.’
‘I’m sure Miss Saltoe will tuck it away in the small print. Do you want me to send a message to General Millet?’
‘Not yet. Let them get that probe in one piece on the freighter and heading back here before I say “well done”. But if anything else untoward happens, Let me know.’
‘I will, Boss. Have a good evening.’
‘You too, Felix.’
Raven mentally clocked off and jumped into his buggy to take him home. After a leisurely meal with Joy Dainty as baby Dixon slept soundly in his cot, they listened to soft background music as they cuddled up together on the sofa.
‘Felix told me Shorty and Lieutenant Croxfort were seconds away from crashing with the probe on that moon. Only just made it out alive.’
Joy said, ‘Never a dull moment. And the probe is ok?’
‘Apparently. Something really good had better come of this mission.’
‘There’s usually a reason for everything. That probe could have easily not been discovered in the first place. Serendipity.’
Raven smiled. ‘Yeah. It was just meant to be.’ He pulled Joy close and kissed her.
Chapter 309
‘Are we there yet, Karma?’
‘Not quite yet, Shannon. Another day and we’ll meet up with the others. You’re bored, aren’t you?’
Shannon sighed. ‘I hate the boring bits. Just lots of…nothing.’
‘You have your books. And you still have your school-work to do.’
Shannon pouted. ‘I’m way ahead of the other kids.’
Karma didn’t doubt it. When it came to mental stimulation, boring bits excluded, Shannon had more experiences than the whole of her class put together. A dozen different planets to visit, and she was a favourite of the Varlindrans and Graggons, always making a special effort when she met up with them. Shannon wasn’t freaked out when she joined the Graggons when they ate live bugs and wriggling things. She had even tried the odd larvae and Karma and Sam had howled with laughter as she had spat it out and grimaced. But, as Shannon had stated, boring bits were just…boring.
‘Did you like your stories about dogs?’
Shannon sighed. ‘Computer only knows three stories about dogs. Pet dogs, anyway.’
‘Well. I was saving this for a surprise, but, I was talking to Joy Dainty, before we took off. She and Boss are off to Mars in a few months. I said we might go with them.’
‘Why?’
‘What do you mean, why?’
Shannon said, ‘Why are we going back to Mars?’
‘For a holiday. And…’
‘What?’
Karma ruffled Shannon’s hair. ‘Because I’ve a really neat surprise lined up for you. But I can’t tell you what, because it would ruin the surprise.’
Shannon tried to read Karma’s eyes. There was something there, but she wasn’t sure what.
‘Something nice?’
Karma chuckled. ‘Holidays are always nice. But, we all have to work before we can have a holiday. Busy yourself with school-work and good things might happen.’
‘Ok,’ said Shannon, reading things between the lines. ‘I’ve Earth history to do. I mean, how rubbish is that?’
Karma said, ‘All us humans came from Earth, many years ago. We need to remember that.’
‘Why?’
‘Because…because we do. You’ll appreciate it when you are older.’
Shannon said, ‘You and Daddy aren’t from Earth.’
‘True. I was born on Home. My grandparents came from Mars. Their grandparents came from Earth. Your Daddy was also born on Home, but we can also trace his family to Mars and Earth. Why don’t you work with the computer and see if you can find your ancestors?’
That sounded like a lot of hard work to Shannon. ‘Ok. I’ll do that.’
Shannon went off to her room as Sam entered the flight-deck. ‘Everything ok?’
‘Yes. Just encouraging Shannon to do her school-work.’
‘Good luck with that.’
‘She’s a bright kid. We’re not doing the right thing by her, though.’
Sam bristled, ‘She has a great life. All over the galaxy.’
‘Spoken like an adult. She isn’t getting the stability she needs.’
Sam said, ‘She meets up with all her friends on Home.’
‘Right. A few weeks each year. We’re all over the place. See any other kids here to play with her?’
Sam said, ‘Oh, come on. She’s doing ok.’
‘I don’t think so. We need a serious rethink about our direction.’
‘Right. Something to look forward to.’
Chapter 310
‘This is Captain Sam Thorne. Pulling up alongside.’
‘Hi, Captain Thorne. Captain Mick Dorran, here. Turn yourselves around and head for Home. Match our speed and we’ll get the probe over to you.’
Thorne said, ‘In a hurry to get back, are you?’
‘We all are. We have the probe and two passengers for you.’
‘Oh?’
Dorran said, ‘Scientists. But really quite nice people when you get to know them. Aristotle Frogmorten and Jackie Cracker.’
Thorne laughed. ‘You just made those names up.’
‘Nope. These two are the reason we’re here in the first place. General Millet wanted them over to your ship with the probe, so they could spend their time checking it out.’
‘Ok. Good time management, I suppose. Turning around.’ Three minutes later, the freighter was matching speed and direction with the two fighters and the probe. ‘That
probe is still flying along at a good pace, Captain Dorran.’
‘Yep. Here’s the plan. The geeks…Sorry. The scientists will space-walk to the probe, cut loose the added control and thruster units, then get it onto your ship.’
‘Right,’ said Thorne. ‘And they are trained to do all that, are they?’
Dorran said, ‘They will be by the end of this mission. Shorty’s been coaching them. They more or less know what they have to do.’
‘Interesting. Ok. My breath is already baited and I sit here in eager anticipation.’
‘Jeez. You must have been reading some crap books on your way here. Ok. Geeks…I mean, scientists are in our airlock, about to jump ship. Ready, you two?’
Frogmorten said, ‘No, but we’ll do it anyway.’
‘Good for you. You know what you have to do.’
Shorty was right there with them, watching over them to see all went according to plan.
‘We’re as close as we dare to be. Get over to the probe, then once its thrusters are cut, use your backpacks to get it into the airlock. You good to go?’
‘Yes, Captain. Thanks.’ Frogmorten squeezed Cracker’s hand. ‘We can do this. Ready?’
Cracker nodded. ‘Ready.’
They leaped out of the airlock and used the backpacks to manoeuvre themselves across to the probe, to which they buckled themselves. They cut the lines to the control unit and thrusters, dodging out of the way as they were abandoned into deep space. Cracker reached into the open panel to the circuitry that controlled the original thrusters and killed them. Then using their combined backpacks, they pulled the probe across to the open airlock of the freighter and entered. The huge ships airlock closed up behind them. Once the air and pressure had been equalised, the inner airlock door opened.
‘Hi,’ said Karma Casey. ‘Welcome on board. This is Shannon Thorne, daughter of the man flying this ship.’
‘Hi. Thank you. I’m Aristotle Frogmorten, and this is my partner, Jackie Cracker.’
‘Hi,’ said Jackie.
Casey stared at the probe. ‘And that thing is what all this is about, is it?’
‘Yes,’ said Frogmorten. ‘Exciting, isn’t it?’
‘Not really. Excuse me if I don’t share your enthusiasm. To me, this is just cargo. You two play with it all you want. I just want to go home.’ As if to emphasise the point, Karma closed the inner airlock door, sealing in the probe.
