Battleship Destroyer (44 page)

Jack
's shock as the man walked up turned to embarrassment at the beginning complements then was replaced by surprised bafflement as the man smoothly finished with his accusation. Jacks mouth opened and closed a few times as he tried to think of what to say when the Ensign spoke up. "Professor Turner spent hours talking about the new advanced Mass Drive Battleship Engines he had worked on someplace and about the many theories of possible warp drives using black holes. Mostly disappointed that new materials did not exist that could withstand the tremendous forces using black holes as anchors to push against would have on any future advanced engine once they found out how to create them without destroying themselves." The Ensign looked earnestly over at the man and his group. "But I can't seem to remember ever hearing about anything resembling this Ion drive of Jacks, using black holes to accelerate any mass let alone Ion's and my last class with the Professor was only a few days before we joined the navy." She smiled over at Jack. "Unless it was some vast secrete by an old man that spent half his time talking about his breakfast and bowl movements and everything else going on in his life to anyone that would listen. What about you Jack?"

Jack chuckled a
s he grimaced. "You didn't have to tell them about him talking about his bowl movements for Pete's sake." Looking up sheepishly and then turned to bafflement as he looked at her anew. "No. The only thing I remember him saying is that someday someone would figure out how to use Ions for reaction mass and then they would have one hell of a drive. Until then inventing the Black hole drive would have to do if anyone ever figured out how." He continued to stare at her with a puzzled smile wondering how she knew Pop.

"So you admit that your grandfather is the one that invented the Ion drive
using work he stole from me?" The man said triumphantly turning to his comrades. "You all heard them admit that."

A voice boomed from around the crates
. "That is not what I heard Dr. Johnson." The Captain walked out of the crowd from the entry hatch. "Ok everyone on the shuttle. We lift in 15 minutes for the Red Dwarf." Turning to Jack.  "You are piloting Mr. Turner."

Taken
back Jack closed his mouth and turned to the Captain. "But sir?  I have only had one day of training. You can't be serious sir. You must have someone better than me."

"Mr. Turner I did not ask for your
opinion but you have had 10 years of experience and passed your simulator training. We have too many shuttles and jobs to do for what few pilots we have and I am not going to waste a good pilot when you are qualified. Unless you are saying you are sick or incapacitated after your little fracas last night. Are you Mr. Turner? Incapacitated?"

"Ah no sir. But shouldn't my
first flight be with someone other than our best scientists and you aboard sir. Just in case I screw up."

"Mr. Turner I would never ask my crew to do something I would not do myself. Though I am
delighted that you think your colleagues are worth keeping around after all. Now get your butt up to the shuttle's bridge and start your pre-flight checks."

Jack let the Ensign drag him
off the box and up the ramp leading into the already half full shuttle as the small group that was very outspoken and led by Dr. Johnson put on the breaks. "I am not about to risk my life with that boy piloting any shuttle I am on. Hell he was just a fracking 1st Class gravity tech the day before yesterday and has only a high school education. Besides I am missing two men and I insist you find them before we leave and make the man responsible pay."

T
he Captain stopped half way up the ramp into the shuttle turning back toward the Director narrowing his eyes. "Make who pay for what Dr. Johnson?"

"Why…" The Director puffed his chest up taking a breath. "My men would not be missing if something had not happened to them by some unknown criminal."

"Now Director, they could have just decided they did not want to work for you anymore and left to join the Navy like a lot of patriotic people have done in the last few years. Have you got a reason why they would not do that?"

"That is preposterous Captain. They would never do that with what I have…They are much
to loyal to do anything like that with their families back at the Directorate university under my aaa care.” Glancing up toward the cenral core pipe chass’s main deck not believing the bodies had not been found yet. “I insist that you find them immediately Captain so they can leave with us."

"Very well Director. As you wish." Captain Halsey pointed off to the side as a couple of caskets on a pallet was being driven into the lock. "They attacked Mr. Turner last night and he had to kill them. Do you know why they attacked the Ensign?"

"What, they never would attack anyone. They were simple innocent men that would never hurt a sole. Mr. Turner must have killed them for no reason and lied about it. I demand that he be arrested immediately for execution."

"Without a trial Dr. Johnson? Sounds like
a typical dictator. You have something against Ensign Turner? What is that?"

"His grandfather was an embezzling thief that stole other peoples work putting his name on it to fool the authorities and gain profits then
disappeared when he got caught. His grandson must be doing the same and my men found out about it and he killed them. As I said a few minutes ago, the Ion engine is my work stolen by Director Turner to get the fame and fortune that will result from it." Turning to face Jack. "I demand that you arrest him immediately or I will have you jailed as soon as we return to Earth and New Washington. I am on the President's Cabinet with his personal ear."

“How dare you say that about my grandfather you lying
pile of crap! I will…” Jack started back down the ramp.

"Now isn't that cute Director.
” The Captain held out her arm to block Jack as she cut him off.  “Just like a good University Enlightened Liberal. Always ready to Dictate to others with no proof but what you feel the truth should be, for the good of the stupid that do not think exactly like you.  Luckily we do not live in a Dictatorship yet Dr. Johnson." The caskets were run up into the shuttle's cargo bay past the Captain and the rest. "Your assassins are on board. Now get on the shuttle Director."

"We are not going anywhe
re with that uneducated murderer piloting anything." And stood there with his arms crossed. The shuttle started emptying out as civilians that had just boarded started walking out and down the ramp to join the group refusing to board the shuttle as Jack spoke up. 

"Sir; I am sure you could pilot the shuttle a lot better than me sir.  I would not be offended sir."

The Captain turned red as she stared at Jack taking a couple of deep breaths. "I will tell you what Mr. Turner. The day you become Captain of your own ship you can decide who pilots better than you. Until then you can keep your fracking mouth shut until you are asked! Now don't make me tell you again.” Holding out her hand to grab his arm as he started to move to obey. "But for now wait just inside the Shuttles lock and you may learn something." Turning to the rest of the group standing at the foot of the ramp.  "As for you assholes. Ensign Turner has been found innocent of all possible charges and commended for his efforts to keep from killing his assailants as he defended himself. My decision in an official enquiry with an abundant amount of evidence in spite of someone's attempt to cover up the attempted murder of Mr. Turner. Earning him a Bronze Star as well as a self-defense medal." Looking around the group. "Now. You can get on this shuttle or stay there and suffocate when the lock is evacuated when I leave because you are not leaving any other way.  I am ordering the hatches back into the ship locked. Is that clear? Get. Aboard the shuttle or die as the deserting mutinying murderers, I know at least a few of you are. I am closing this hatch as soon as I get in the lock." The Captain turned and started walking up into the shuttle.

Some from the back of the pa
ck beat the some only a few steps from the hatch into the shuttle as they suddenly started racing each other not wanting to risk being left behind. Dr. Johnson stood at the edge of the ramp as the Captain turned at the hatch controls. The ramp emptied leaving only Dr. Johnson standing starring at the Captain still not moving. Hitting the switch the lock's hatch started slowly closing and Dr. Johnson finally started slowly walking up across the ramp as it started to rise.  Just fast enough to let the hatch close in front of him as he reached the hatch forcing the Captain to hit the hatch stop button to allow the Dr. to walk through the opening before closing the hatch. The Doctor smiled with his nose in the air as he walked past the Captain, Jack and the Ensign.

"Mr. Turner follow me
."

Jack and the Ensign followed the
Captain up into the boats little bridge. Ordering everyone to clear the bridge. The hatch closed before the Captain turned on Jack placing her nose an inch from Jack's. "That little show was your fault and if those ass holes had been a little more stubborn their deaths would have been on your head Mr. Turner.  Now I don't know how they do things on tramp ships but in the Navy an officer expects his subordinates to obey orders when they are given and if a subordinate has any problems with that order he or she does not voice them in public or in front of the crew. Is that understood Mr. Turner?"

"Ah
... Yes Sir."  Jack swallowed.

"That is
. Yes Sir. Captain Sir! Or do I need to send you back to the boot camp ship maggot? Because if this happens again you are going out the airlock. Brains or no brains."

"No! Sir Captain Sir." Jack bellowed to his own surprise. "Yes Captain Sir. I will follow all orders without objection Captain Sir!"

"That is in public Mr. Turner! This Navy does not want a bunch of mind numb robots."

"Yes Captain Sir. I will make any objections I have in private from now on Captain Sir."

"Very good Mr. Turner. You can call the bridge crew back in and prepare the boat for departure."

Jack swallowed. "Yes
Captain Sir. Prepare the boat for departure. I sir." Jack stepped to the hatch and swallowed as he opened it back up to find the bridge crew waiting in the passageway beyond. Bighting his lower lip he tried to order them back into the bridge but froze as everyone stared at him. Closing his eyes he realized that the boat's bridge and passageway were exact copies of The Game even though the crew looked slightly more real than the game crews but only slightly. Swallowing again he took a deep breath and said. "Man your stations. Prepare for launch." The volume of his voice surprised him. Turning around he stepped to the pilot’s chair. Starring at the control panel for a few seconds Jack shook his head. "Just like The Game the first year I played." Looking up, his eyes drifted around the Shuttles bridge that was little bigger than a cockpit. "This is getting eerie. To damn familiar."

The Captain turned to
the Ensign standing a few feet away trying to stand in a way to make her boobs look smaller with her arms crossed in front of her trying to hide from the bridge crew that kept starring at her every chance they got. "Ensign; you missed half of yesterday's training but I am told you are a competent navigator and copilot. Take the copilot's chair." Then turned back surveying the forward part of the bridge and the rest of the crew on the bridge.

The Ensign's mouth dropped open
. "But Sir?"

The Captain whipped around and
stared at the ensign wide eyed daring her to continue.

Taking a deep breath she said. "Yes Captain
Sir." And headed for the copilot/ navigators chair.

"I am glad you are not wearing that damn strap but where is your jacket Ensign?  Don't you think it woul
d come in handy right about now?"

The Ensign sat down. "My jacket does not fit me right now sir.
Fact is this is the only Kaki blouse I have that does."

"Is that a fact
Ensign? Well good, you have been hiding behind that strap and jacket long enough. You can pick up new blouses when we get back to the Black Dwarf but you will have to be quick about, we won’t be there long.” Looking at the crewmen that kept glancing at her breasts and then sighing disgustedly.  “You have my permission to use a baseball bat on anyone that annoys you from now on. Be proud of your looks, you have a beautiful face and hair. Fact is considering your new job and what happened last night, I want you to pick up a weapon from the armory while we are on the Black Dwarf. I will have security start you on special defense classes.”

The Captain smiled
as a thought occurred to her. “Fact is Ensign. Use it on stun on anyone that makes any improper advances, proposals, or orders no matter their rank instead of a baseball bat. I still need them when you get done with them. I have been hearing to damn many rumors about too many harassment, sex slave or rape incidents that don't get officially reported but talked about. One problem with such a rapidly expanding Navy. We have not had time to weed out the turds walking amongst us. With your bait, you have my permission to start the clean up as long as you do no permanent damage.” Looking around the bridge as everyone found their work suddenly very important. “Very well Ensign. Carry on." Turning to Jack and shaking her head. She had thought about arming Jack but with that damn red flag on his file, she did not dare.