by Bob Mauldin
Declining to answer right away without conferring with their superiors, Galway and his team started to make leaving noises. Lucy helped the process along by telling Galway, “I’ll let the Captain know what you’ve said here. If Daniels is in place, he goes. You’ll get a report from him in about seven or eight months. Now, if you will excuse us, we have departure preparations to finish up.” Standing up, Lucy leaned across the table, hand out. “Mister Galway, it hasn’t necessarily been fun doing business with you, but it has been instructive.”
Galway shook her hand and answered, “Commander, you are a breath of fresh air. That’s not to say that I am in favor of doing business this way on a regular basis, understand, but you do get to the core of a problem quickly.”
As they were preparing to leave, Mitchell wanted to know, “What’s in the box?”
Lucy looked at the box, smiled and pushed a button on her wristband. All eyes on the box, she said sweetly, “Strictly a diversion, Mister Mitchell,” as two sensor clusters hidden on the wall disappeared unnoticed along with the team.
Simon and Kitty beamed into their living room about an hour before Daniels was due to arrive. Kitty wandered aimlessly around the house, chafing under Simon’s instructions not to go outside and to stay away from the windows. “If he shows up at all,” Kitty commented as time ran out on the deadline. “I have to wonder if he’ll have the nerve.” She sat down on the couch and started tapping her foot in annoyance.
Simon looked up from the book on his lap. “I’m willing to bet he won’t have any choice, Hon. Someone is going to make it an order. You’re starting to think like an officer. You just need more practice.”
Kitty sniffed at him. “I do well enough, thank you. No one has said anything about my leadership qualities, and I get my job done, so there.”
Simon slid over beside her, put his arm around her shoulders and said, “Of course you do. If not, I’d have someone else doing it. But you do need to start thinking a little more paranoid. It helps to guess what the other guy is going to do. And if you’re wrong, no problem. It’s the ‘if you’re right’ part that will save your delicious little ass, my Dear. And everyone will be in awe of your superior tactical ability. Whether you have any or not.”
This time the doorbell rang. Simon answered it as Kitty left the room. “I didn’t know whether to hope you’d show or not,” he said. “In any case, come in. You know your way around, of course.” Walking across his living room and standing at the far end of the couch, Simon turned to his visitor. “I must admit, you did an excellent job of putting things back where they belong. But you shouldn’t have done it in the first place.”
Agent Daniels sat down nonchalantly on the far end of the couch from Simon. “And that’s why I’m here, right?” Daniels asked as he kicked the overnight bag sitting beside him.
Simon nodded. “That’s right, Agent Daniels. I’m a man who pays his debts. Even small ones. You should have spent more time studying me. Then you wouldn’t be so surprised to be here.” Raising his voice to be heard beyond the living room, Simon called out, “Hon, our visitor is here. When you’re ready, we are, too.” Kitty walked back into the room, a small over-nighter in hand. “All done and ready to go, husband-mine.” A measurable frostiness entered her voice. “Good afternoon, Agent Daniels. I really would never have imagined that I would invite you into my home for any reason. I can’t say that I’m happy to see you, but I trust my husband’s judgment.”
Exasperation in his voice, Agent Daniels interrupted. “I need some information here, if you please. I have a real problem with this.”
Kitty turned her full attention to the agent sitting on her couch. “Just exactly what is it that you have a problem with, Agent? Isn’t it your job to find out what’s going on?” The agent was visibly reaching some limit.
“Whatever my job is, it doesn’t usually entail getting on a spaceship with people I’m investigating at the instruction of superiors from the White House.”
Simon looked at the agent who was beginning to show signs of agitation. “What were you told?”
“Told? I was told to pack a bag, be here at a specific time, and expect an extended trip.” This last came at the same time the agent’s overnight bag received another swift kick. “I was told nothing else.”
Simon looked at him for a long time. “I’ll fill you in on all the details later and you can cross-check them with your bosses when you get back. But suffice it to say, Agent Daniels, at the moment it seems that you get to be the determining factor in whether your government and the peoples of Earth consider us friend or foe. And I’m the one who asked for you to be here and that was just because I’m an ass. I believe another question you might ask is how long you’ll be with us. Well, there are two answers to that and you get to choose the answer you like best. The short answer is: a couple of weeks. We’re going to be making a trip out to one of the space docks. We’re going to take the crew out for the ship we’ve just finished, then we’ll return to Earth, pick up more crew and go out and build another dock. That’s out in the asteroid belt, agent. That’ll be dock number three, by the way. If you want off after the two weeks, fine. But I think you’ll get more out of an extended stay, don’t you? On our return for more crew, you will be able to leave the ship and return, of course. The only restrictions are that there are areas that are off-limits to you. Weapons bays, engine room, fighters, shuttle bays, transporter room. Don’t try to get in. Trust me, we’ll know. Also, no weapons. Otherwise, you will be free to go where you want and talk to whomever you want, and draw whatever conclusions you want. Oh, and the extended voyage will be seven or eight months.”
Simon reached down and picked up a locator disk. “Remember this? Be sure to have your bag in hand when we beam up.” The agent stood up, took the proffered disk and slid it into his shirt pocket. Simon glanced over at Kitty, saw that she had her finger on her wristband, and did the same.
“Bag, Agent, before it gets left behind.” Tearing his eyes away from Kitty long enough to pick up his bag, Agent Daniels was still able to see her vanish in a very pretty pyrotechnic display. At the same time, the world he was used to began to fade and be replaced by another one entirely.
Agent Daniels’ second visit to Galileo was considerably different from his first. This time, it was with eyes wide open and of his own free will. Kind of. His superiors had given him little choice, and by now, his own natural stubbornness was making him do something that good sense screamed at him to run from.
Walking out of the transporter room and down the corridor, the three stopped outside a door. “This is my ready-room,” Simon told the staring agent. “You can leave your bag here for now. Later we can send it, or take it, to your billet.” Leaving that room behind, Simon led the agent to the briefing room. “I am going to have to come up with something other than Agent Daniels. We could be around each other for quite a while,” he said amusedly. “Who’d a thunk it?”
Walking over to the device sitting on the corner table, Simon ordered, “Put your left wrist in there. You’ll get a wristband like the ones the rest of us wear.”
Looking dubiously at the dark opening in the side, the agent balked. “Just for my peace of mind, what can I expect, sensation-wise? I don’t want to get surprised and jerk my arm and mess up something.”
Laughing, Kitty told him, “You won’t feel a thing, I swear. Unless she doesn’t like you.”
The agent looked around. “She, who? And what will she do if she doesn’t like me?”
Waving his arm grandly, Simon said, “Why, the ship of course. Galileo. That box is full of sensors. When a wristband is fitted, the ship gets a bit of a skin sample, and knows you from then on. And if she doesn’t like you, she’ll keep the hand.”
Looking into Simon’s eyes, the agent smiled. “I’m calling your bluff. It’s a locating device, and probably a communicator. You want to keep track of me, especially, so I’ll wear one.” Confidently sliding his arm int
o the device, he waited.
Simon manipulated the controls on the side of the machine. “Security level five, Agent. That means you aren’t allowed near Engineering, engine room, weapons bays, shuttles or fighters without supervision. Understand?”
Daniels watched Simon and pulled his arm out when he got Simon’s nod. He looked the wristband over critically and shook his wrist to settle it in place. “Understood, Captain,” he said.
The unlikely trio walked onto a bridge that was all brisk efficiency. They made their way over to Lucy Grimes, who was keeping track of the goings-on from the distance of the Captain’s chair. Simon glanced around the bridge, and spoke so only the four of them could hear, ““Someday, Commander, I want to know how much you bribe the transport techs to let you know when we come aboard.”
Mock penitence in her voice, Lucy quietly replied, “Why Captain! How can you think such a thing? It’s my job to know when you are aboard and where you are. Just in case, you know? Costs nothing except the extra processor rations I give as a bonus to whoever is on duty. And look at all the goodwill I spread among the crew.”
Simon stepped back into Captain-mode. Raising his voice a bit, he asked, “Status, Commander?”
Lucy immediately replied, “Sir, course for Orion Base is laid in, all new volunteers are accounted for, all departments report locked down and ready for boost.”
Simon deferred to Lucy. “Very well, Commander. It’s your shift, she is your vessel. Take us out of here. Request permission for my party to observe departure.”
Lucy responded, looking pointedly at Daniels, “Permission granted, Captain.” She turned to her primary responsibility. “All hands, this is the First Officer. Prepare to leave orbit. Engine room all ahead one third.”
Simon gestured his companions over to one side of the room. Keeping his voice low, he said, “Kitty, if you want to leave, you can.” Getting a grateful kiss on the cheek, Simon added, “I’ll stay with Agent Daniels for a bit and get him settled. See you in our quarters shortly.” Simon had been watching the agent watch the view screen on the forward bulkhead. It had long since been color-shifted to accommodate human eyes, as had been the general lighting. He had also noted that the agent appeared to be trying to follow some of the bridge chatter. “That’s not a real view, you know. It won’t appear to change very fast for a while. And I’m afraid you won’t understand much of what you hear, right away. Spend time in some of the introduction classes for new crew members and see if it makes any sense in a few days.”
The two men stood silently for a time. Long enough for the Earth to slowly slide off the forward screen. Tossing a small wave in the direction of Lucy, he led his charge out into the corridor.
“Always ask permission to enter the bridge. I can’t imagine you not getting permission, but you never know. Things could get a little hectic.” Leading the agent back to his ready-room, Simon sank into a chair, waving his visitor to do the same. Picking up a comm link, Simon called Gayle. “I need a billet assignment for one Observer Daniels.”
The answer, when it came, dripped acid. “We don’t have any trash bins on this ship, so I’ve had to billet him with people. Is that okay with you, Sir?”
Stifling a smile, Simon admonished, “Now, now, Commander. He is our guest. I need that room assignment, and I need you to set up a level five services account for him, if you will be so kind.” A level five account was basically a subsistence account with unlimited credit. Food, clothing, gyms, rec rooms, etc. And no access to restricted areas.
Gayle’ s voice finally came back. “Deck six, room C-26. I have him rooming with one veteran and one recruit.”
Simon thanked her and put the comm link away. Leading the agent to the elevators, he explained the facts of life. “There are a few specific do’s and don’ts that you will pick up. But there is one general rule that is broad enough that you only need to hear it once: you are locked into a big tin can with almost nine hundred people. Do whatever it takes to make the time you have to spend locked up with us as pleasant for you and for us as possible.”
Making their way down to deck six, Simon quickly located room C-26, knocked once on the door, then opened it. Finding no one present, he motioned Agent Daniels in. Pointing to the empty bunk, he indicated that the agent should place his bag there. “I prefer you have at least one old hand around for the first few days. After that, make your own bed and lie in it. Okay, follow me and I’ll give you a quick tour of this level.” Stopping first to key Daniels’ thumbprint to the door code, he then showed him the mess hall, showers, library, theater, gym and other common areas. He also mentioned the hot tub on Deck Three. “We didn’t have one on board when we got the ship. This is purely a new thing for us. It seems to be in great demand. Your room is now keyed to you, so I am going to leave you to your own devices for the next few days. Visit any deck, any time. All officers are instructed to answer fully and completely about anything ... except weapons and propulsion. Now if you will excuse me, I need to go.”
During the trip to Orion, Agent Daniels found out a lot about the Galileo and the people who ran her. There were essentially three groups of people aboard. The first being the oldest group. Oldest, meaning longest aboard. This included Simon, Kitty, Gayle, and Stephen, of course. It also included some dozen scientists, and quite a few of the first people recruited from the DenverCon. These were the people in charge. Most of the second generation of people came aboard after the completion of Orion. A lot of the middle-management positions were being held by these people. And this newest batch, who had been aboard for only a few days.
Agent Daniels was good at his job. Well able to tell the difference between fact and fantasy. For the most part. Who could have predicted this though? And he was soon amassing a pretty fair sized mental file of the various things people were saying. On his first evening and night aboard Galileo, the agent ate dinner in the crew’s mess on deck six, and spent most of the evening talking to the newest volunteers and one or two of the people who had been around since Orion was built.
The next morning he awoke to an all-too-familiar sound. Reveille. The lights came up to something just short of eye-searing, and he heard one of his roommates say, “Okay, guys on your feet. We’ve got a long day ahead of us.”
Daniels groused, “I’m not one of your volunteers. I’m just an observer. I’m staying in bed.”
And the same cheerful voice replied, “Well, if that’s what you wanna do, but you’re gonna observe real quick that if you don’t get up right now and take a shower with the rest of us, no one’s gonna want to be anywhere near you. You’ll also observe that if you don’t get up, you’re gonna miss breakfast.”
Staggering to his feet, he found that the body belonging to the cheerful voice was already dressed and bent over slipping his sandals on. The overly cheerful voice went on. “I’m Crewman First Class Charley McNalley, and this is Crewman Arthur Stein. I already know who you are. Cap’n hauled me up to officer country last night. Tole me who ya are, what ya are, and what I’m supposed to do wit ya. What I’m supposed to do is see to it that you get settled in and see just about every part of the ship and everything we do here. Now I cain’t make you git up and do anything, but to my way of thinkin’, if you don’t observe it, you sure as hell cain’t report it. Unless you plan to make it all up. And if you do that, then there was no need to come aboard in the first place.
“The Cap’n put you with me ‘cause I know what I’m doin’,” McNalley went on as he grabbed a towel and soap from a drawer. “Let’s go. We get cleaned up, straighten the room and then go to chow.” The two first timers followed their guide to the showers. On the way he continued, “The Cap’n put you with me ‘cause I know what I’m doin’. I helped build Orion, I helped build Gemini, and I’m gonna help build the next one that goes up. And probly the one after that, too, cause I’m the best pod jockey on the ship.”
At this point the agent stopped him. “Uh, new here! What’s a pod jockey?�
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McNalley smiled. “That’s just the kinda question all the fish ask. A pod is a construction pod. I drive a construction pod. Factories’ll turn out sumthin’, slip it out past the force-field, and I grab it with my pod and go put it where they tell me.” He took a few quiet steps. “I’d be doin’ more than that, but I don’t read so good, so they don’t give me more to do.”
Agent Daniels, looking for dissent or anything that would show a chink in the armor these people were showing, asked, “Well, wouldn’t you like to do more?”
McNalley stopped in the corridor. “Well, yeah. I’d kinda like to fly those Mambas. But then, ever’body wants to fly ‘em.”
Daniels rushed to stop him before he could move on. “Okay, we just hit my stupid spot again. What’s a Mamba?”
Having one described didn’t quite fill the bill. Late on his fourth day, Daniels went to a class on the Mambas being held down on deck eighteen. There were a lot of classes being held all over the ship. Anyone who knew what they were doing was conscripted to teach the fish something about their new environment. This one was being conducted by Mrs. Hawke. I guess that’s Captain Hawke from now on, he thought.
These were introduction classes for all the new volunteers, some few of whom would stay on Galileo. Some would go to the new ship, according to McNalley, but most would find themselves on Orion, as that was where most of the crew for the new ship was being pulled from. So, he found himself standing at the back of a group of forty or so hopeful Mamba pilots.
Not having had a chance to visit deck eighteen before now, he was simply stunned at the sheer openness of the place. Over two thousand feet long, eight hundred feet wide, twenty-six feet high, and this was only a part of the whole. Its primary purpose was to hold finished parts or components until they could be moved to a project and installed. Right now, because the ship was under way, the entire area was nearly empty, leaving one with an eerie feeling. Right now, all that was there was one Mamba and forty or so people seated in chairs around the craft.
