“Right, we're going to have company. A lot of it. What is the station's current capacity?” he asked as the lift shifted to the left then continued its climb.
“Three thousand three hundred give or take a dozen. It all depends on age, size, gender...” Sprite started but he waved it off.
“Right, okay, and current census?” He asked.
“Roughly fifteen thousand I would estimate Admiral.” Sprite said quietly. He sucked in a breath.
“We've got five times the people we can support... I guess I should have been focusing on the bigger picture instead of a damn dishwasher.” His voice was full of anger and annoyance at himself. He'd let himself get distracted from the big picture by his own desire for creature comforts.
“Not your fault Admiral. We don't have sufficient data or access,” Sprite responded.
“Then I should have gotten it!” he replied balling his fists and looking at the bulkhead as he fought his emotions.
“How soon until we start losing people?” he asked softly after a moment.
“A couple hours for the decks that have been totally cut off,” Sprite reported. “What about the asteroid we brought in?” he asked.
“Twenty percent processed, but the luxury quarters are sucking most of the energy up. Ops as well. In this sort of situation I do not see the logic in the wasteful energy practices they are currently employing,” she responded. He felt a gathering storm of anger then shook his head trying to fight it off.
The lift ground to a jerk making him bounce before it settled to a stop. The doors opened smoothly. A pair of guards on either side of the door looked in and stared. “Buddy you got the wrong floor,” one of them said, hand on his pulser.
“Nope, the chief medical officer ordered me to come by,” he looked at them. Defender started his shields but he was focused on the guards. “I have an appointment.” He started forward. One pushed him back with a hand to his chest.
“Just a minute there dumb ass.”
He took out a wand and started to scan him. The readouts went wild. He stepped back and pulled his weapon. His partner followed suit. “Gentlemen, why don't you put the pea shooters away, I'm not in the mood,” the Admiral snarled. Warily they looked at him as one called for backup.
“The reason your wand went off is because of my implants,” the Admiral said casually. They looked at him in disbelief for a moment then snorted.
“Pull the other one grandpa now stay put and don't move,” the leader snarled. The Admiral shook his head.
Silently he sent a neural impulse to his right arm, having it morph. He watched their eyes widen. “As I was saying, my implants are the reason your security measure went off.” Several more guards came running up. He looked them over.
“That's the ass wipe that took Berneky apart,” one of them stage whispered.
“He moves shoot him,” another said.
The Admiral sighed. “Gentlemen, you’re starting to get on my nerves.” He gave them a look he usually reserved for dire emergencies when obedience was needed. Several gulped.
The pitter patter of feet filled the sudden quiet. He looked to his left to see a doctor in a smudged but serviceable white smock come up and wave them off. “He's invited! Knock it off!” She waved as she got between the guards and the Admiral. Reluctantly several stepped back.
“Are you the doctor?” the Admiral asked. She turned and stared at his arm. He smiled grimly then sent a command to morph it back to normal.
She returned to the guards. “Stand down.” She grabbed the Admiral by the left arm and half dragged him out of the lift and down the corridor.
“Well, that was interesting,” he said. Her chuckle had a slight hysterical edge.
“In answer to your earlier question, no, I didn't request you, I am Doctor Wanda Harvest. Doctor Thorby sent me out as an escort.” She shook her head. “I was supposed to meet you on your floor but I was delayed by a... well never mind.” She led him down the corridor, making several turns passing well dressed people and then down another series of corridors.
“This place is a bit brighter and cleaner than the other decks,” the Admiral observed dryly. “With heat too.” He looked at his escort. She was sweating.
“Yeah, you get used to it. This is what the entire station should be if the lazy people in engineering could get their acts together.” She waved her hands for a moment then blushed. “Oh sorry.” He shook his head. They entered a door with a giant red cross on it.
“We're here,” she said unnecessarily. She motioned him past the ogress posing as a nurse at the front desk and down an adjoining hall. “This way.” She waved him into a corridor with a series of doors.
She went down several doors then paused at an open one. “The doctor will be here to see you shortly.” She motioned to him to enter. Sheepishly and a little amused, he did. He examined the stark blank walls, metal stool, and examination chair as she closed the door.
“Sprite?” he asked.
“Scanning. No weapons detected in range. No sign of sleepy gas emitters either. No energy signs beyond low power medical or life support,” she responded. He nodded. “And the computer?” he asked.
“One moment... ping sent... Now that is interesting!” He sighed as she paused. He closed his eyes and leaned back against the wall.
“What?” he asked when she didn't respond in an appropriate interval of time.
“Oh sorry Admiral, I'm in. Wi-Fi node in the hall is functional. It is hard wired to a central net that is outside the normal station net. It is a sickbay computer. Hmmm... Typical civilian firewall and passwords.”
She opened a window. “They didn't even use a DNA or optical scanning lock, it's a simple eight character keygen password... cracked. I'm in. Not much beyond doctor's notes on patients and some teaching texts.” She seemed disappointed. He shook his head.
“There are a couple additional databases, one on medical literature, another on training, and another on personnel. Do you wish for me to access anything?” Sprite asked.
“No, wait, yes, check the patient and personnel files, log the names, faces, and relevant data for later. Get me a chain of command report so we can start shaking things up. Then check the system over and debug any errors you find. Set up a bot to run routine maintenance as well. Restore their firewall. Exchange data with the data module while you’re at it.” He shook his head. “Any day now...” he sighed patiently, looking at the door.
“Nurse incoming. She's pushing a small equipment rack, looks like equipment to take vitals,” Sprite reported after a few minutes. He was impatient and tried to hide it as the door opened.
“I'll just be taking your vitals then the doctor will see you in a few minutes. She is with another patient. Please have a seat.” She indicated the medical chair. He sat on the edge.
“All right,” he said amused. His lips quirked in a smile.
With expert hands she hooked up the BP cuff to the machine then wrapped the cuff around his right arm. “Miss you’re not going to get a reading with that there...” He laughingly tried to ward her off but she hushed him. She pressed the button and stuck a probe in his mouth. He sighed and tried not to smile.
“Hush. We're taking your vital readings so the doctor has a baseline to compare. Not that people in the sticks have ever done that. I bet you've never been in a real hospital in your life let alone met a real doctor. You’re going to meet the best doctor in the galaxy so you be on your best behavior....” She continued dithering on until the machine beeped.
She pulled the probe out of his mouth and he looked at her amused as she looked confused at the equipment monitor. “Spirit of space what's wrong with this thing now!” She tapped the buttons. The cuff re-inflated. He chuckled.
“I could save us both a lot of trouble. BP is one twenty over seventy five, pulse is sixty eight; temperature is ninety eight point seven degrees Fahrenheit. Weight is eighty kilos, two point one grams. Height is one hundred and seventy nine centimeters,” he tr
ied to explain to her back. She turned about.
“Now how do you know that?” she asked amused. “Did someone tell you that or did you see it in a movie?” she asked. She tapped the controls and they again reported an error. She frowned.
“Well, first off, you’re using antiquated equipment even in my time. Second, you’re using it on the wrong arm.” He flexed his right arm, and then held up his left. “This one is the real one.” He wiggled his fingers. She looked at him confused. He shook his head as he keyed the morph program.
She reared back with a screech, knocking over the stool and equipment kart. He tried hard not to laugh as she fell on her ass. She screeched again then crawled past him and ran out. He shook his head. “Does this mean I can go?” he called after her leaning forward.
“Admit it. You so enjoyed it,” Sprite said sounding maliciously amused.
Pounding feet answered his reply. “I guess that means no,” he chuckled as a burly male orderly came in.
“What's going on here?” he asked. The Admiral chuckled, waving his cybernetic arm. The orderly stared, backing away.
“I was trying to explain why she wasn't getting any readings and had to demonstrate.” The Admiral shrugged as he morphed his arm back to normal.
“That, thhaat's not possible!” the man stuttered, eyes wide. “Doc! Doctor Harvest! Doc Standish! Doc Thorby! Somebody!!” he called over his shoulder then backed out hastily as the Admiral removed his BP cuff and stood. “Wait here now,” the man said nervously hand out, palm up.
“As amusing as this is, I really do have better things to be doing right now,” the Admiral replied. More footfalls sounded in the hallway. The nurse returned pointing rather agitatedly at him. Another nurse was with her, as well as a red haired doctor. “Hhhis arm it cha cha changged.” She waved frantic.
“It wasn't like that!” She threw her hands out pointing as the nurse and doctor looked from her to the Admiral and back. Then they looked at the first orderly who nodded confirmation. The Admiral chuckled.
“Would it save us all a bit of trouble to let you know I am a sleeper from another time?” he asked. He held up his right arm again and the first nurse shrank back with a moan. The Admiral tried hard not to sigh.
“Superstition on a space station from medical personnel? Now I've seen everything,” he said dryly. He shook his head. “Miss, it's a cybernetic limb. I have three actually.” He morphed the arm once more. The red haired doctor stared at him while the others goggled.
“It's a bit more advanced then the mainstream cybernetics were during the early stages of the Xeno war. Experimental actually. I can't get into the technical details even at this late a date.” He smiled as his hand morphed back.
“Are you Doctor Nara Thorby?” He turned to the red haired woman. Sprite lit a green light on his HUD. She nodded. “Care to let me know why I am here?” he asked politely. “I do have work to do, it seems the station has a power crisis.” He waved as the light flickered.
“Angie, go check on the life support equipment and the tank, make sure that hiccup didn't cause a problem.” She physically grabbed the hysterical nurse and turned her by the shoulders then pushed her away. The nurse glanced back once then moved off rapidly.
“Ben, I got this, go back to your duties.” She patted the burly orderly on the shoulder. The orderly nodded and left glancing back at him until he was around a corner and out of sight. “Mandy, why don't you...” She turned to the last nurse.
“Right, go check on Logan, then check to make sure Angie and Ben settle down.” She walked off shaking her head.
“You'd think a cybernetic implant wouldn't shake up a nurse,” the Admiral said softly. The red haired doctor gave him a sharp look then sighed. She took the ancient stethoscope in her hands and stuffed it in her breast pocket.
“Let's talk in my office.” She waved him to the door.
“Sure.” He stepped out then down the hall.
“You know where you’re going?” she asked amused.
“I have the station's blueprints in my memory Doc. Unless you changed things, that's a storage closet, over there is the corridor to surgery, there is the primary nursing station, there is a break room, and here is your office.” He pointed to doors and corridors ending up at a hard wood door.
She gasped a little then chuckled. “My you are efficient.” She smiled then passed him and entered the room. He followed. “Close the door and take a seat,” she ordered. He turned and closed the door as she moved around the desk and sat down picking up a tablet.
“Can I ask you your name?” She looked down at the tablet as he sat down. He smiled.
“Irons. John Henry Irons. Fleet Admiral, Federation Navy,” he replied. She looked up startled.
“You’re kidding,” she said in disbelief. He shook his head.
“About my name? Unfortunately no, my parents had a thing for old Earth myths on industry I guess.” He shook his head. She sat back and set the tablet down in front of her.
“You’re an Admiral? A real Admiral? From the war?” she asked clearly stunned. He chuckled.
“Yes, I am the real deal, I am a sleeper.” Her pale face started to get some color. She nodded slowly. “Io 11 picked me up a little over fifteen months ago and I've been with them. I debarked a couple days ago. I am staying with the Valdez clan until another ship passes through.” He shrugged.
“So you’re uh, staying on?” she asked.
“For a while. I am too much of a star sailor to stay in one port too long.” He smiled. “But since I am here, I decided to lend a hand.” He shrugged.
“There is a rumor going around that it was you that fixed the Valdez tug?” she asked. He nodded.
“Well, I had a bit of help; I brokered a deal with the Io for use of their fabricators.” He shrugged. She grunted.
“Do you know anything about fixing the power grid? Or running a fusion reactor?” The lights flickered again then went out. He looked at her as his eyes automatically adjusted for night vision. By the looks of her infrared profile she was afraid.
“I know a great deal about engineering, I am a fleet engineer after all,” the Admiral chuckled. When the lights didn't return he sent a signal to his implants. After a second his right index finger began to glow, and then shine. It filled the room with a greenish light.
“That's better. Now you can see me.” He nodded. She licked her lips as her eyes adjusted. “Takes some getting used to,” he smiled. She flushed. “Is there a reason you asked me here?” He gave her a look.
“You haven't had a physical,” she replied. He shook his head.
“So? No station regulations require it. What do you really want?” he asked.
“Um, ah, well, I was curious about the reports that you assaulted several security guards,” she replied. He shook his head. The lights came on but dimmer than before. He let the light on his finger go out.
“Doctor, I don't remember assaulting a guard. I do remember several encounters, including one a few minutes ago with rather annoying people waving guns however.” He looked at her. She frowned.
“You’re telling me you didn't break Berneky's arm?” she asked in disbelief.
He chuckled. “I didn't know he was a guard, I thought he was a criminal trying to perform a shake down.” He shook his head. “Well, I did send you some business I guess, all in self defense of course.” He smiled. She shook her head.
“Well, lucky for you the exec intervened. The Valdez family is on thin ice as it is... No pun intended.” she said. The Admiral smiled.
“None taken. I believe all debts are cleared, and they even have a tab running with the station now.” He shrugged. She nodded.
“I heard about the rock, I hope Sergio brings back some ice soon, we need it.” She sighed as the ventilation cut out, then restarted.
“What's going on?” he asked.
“Logan collapsed and his daughter is having trouble keeping the fusion plant running that's what's going on.” She sighed. “I se
e you don't know everything.” She smiled at him. He smiled back.
“Engineering has its own net, and I can't get in from the outside. Otherwise I would have found out sooner and taken a hand in things.” He shrugged. Slowly she nodded.
“All right, well there are some people I would like you to meet.” She waved to him as she got up. He followed her out.
“We've done what we can to prevent radiation damage and inbreeding in the population.” The CMO said as she dodged an orderly with a cart. Irons dodged the orderly then grunted. “Mandatory genetic screening is a requirement for anyone on the station, and we require cross breeding through in vitro fertilization whereever possible.” She waved to a pregnant woman who was softly caressing her growing belly. The Admiral nodded politely and continued to follow the doctor.
They turned a corner and entered a trauma bay. Dozens of beds were along the walls, some occupied, some not. The lights were dimming. An orderly came up and whispered urgently to the doctor. She scowled. “Engineering has cut power to most of the non essential decks but the Port Admiral has the computer re-routing power from us to compensate.” Iron's implants easily caught the explanation.
She turned to him but he waved it aside. “I heard.” She looked confused but he smiled. “Implants remember?” He shrugged her confusion off. “If the bottle is not balanced properly then you can't get a stable power tap from it. It doesn't matter how much fuel you have on hand.” He shrugged. She nodded.
Two raised voices could be heard near the end of the bay. One was female, another male. The male voice was urgent, asking for the woman to go back to engineering. He was practically pleading with her. She flatly refused. The doctor caught the raised timbre and her scowl deepened.
“Right this way then.” She moved past the orderly and to a cloth enshrouded bay. She pulled aside a drape and motioned for him to follow. He could easily see the two figures turning.
“If the two of you can't act like adults I will have you thrown out of here on your ear, and no I don't give a damn what rank you have.” She gave them both a cold look. They immediately shut up. She nodded. “That's better.” She turned to the patient.
Fool's Gold (The Wandering Engineer) Page 10
