Earth's Last Angel (22 page)

The monitor came to life with the faces of Tom, Mondok, and the captain. The captain begins telling them how pleased he was that ice had been found, especially since it wasn't where they expected it to be. Denise notices for the first time that the captain really is quite handsome in a rugged way, particularly when he smiles.

Denise watched Mondok, beaming through his wild, red frills and smiled.

The strain of the past two months appears to have vanished. She begins to feel that maybe she shouldn't bother him with her worry about Kenny. After all, nothing is really happening. All crews go through the strain of getting used to one another. That's what Mondok would say. No, she will wait. Maybe she is worrying over nothing, but there was that nervous tic in Kenny's eye again. He didn't get nervous over nothing. And he hadn't called to congratulate them. That wasn't like Kenny.

Denise notices the captain is still on monitor, and tries to concentrate on what he is saying.

‘We'll have a greater celebration when you return. Actually, a huge party will be organized for the crews of all the prospecting vessels. Don't think your contributions go unnoticed. I appreciate all of you.'

Denise hears a cheer and realizes he had linked into the entire prospecting vessel fleet. Now she knows why she hasn't heard from Kenny, there would be no privacy from the other crews. She felt herself relax. He would call her later.

‘A toast to Tiger,' yells Dave, and Denise glances over to where Dave and the rest of the crew were clinking their cups in honor of the carp. Dave grins at her. ‘Well you did make a wish on your fish, and it did come true.'

The captain laughs. ‘Yes, to Tiger.'

Denise feels her cheeks and frills burn hot with embarrassment but she, too, picks up her cup and raises it.

Drummer sits on the flat edge of a rock, whistling and watching Enzot line up the drill hole with the rig.

‘Pass me that laser drill bit, Drummer,' he asks

Drummer looks around him. ‘What drill bit?'

Enzot glares at him. ‘If it was any closer to you it would bite you on the arse! You know what I'm talking about!'

Drummer plastered an innocent expression on his face. ‘I'm just an offsider, how would I know that a drill bit is?' He watches, with satisfaction, as Enzot's face reddens in pure anger, with his frill straining inside his helmet.

‘Everyone knows you were a driller.'

‘I am, not was,' Drummer corrects, ‘but since I am to be treated like a lackey, then that's how I'll behave.'

Drummer has really become tired of being told to pass this and that, and tired of being told how to clean the tools. He was incensed when he was shown how to pace out the pattern, but he soon came to realize that the only way to annoy Enzot is to accept his position totally, or appear to. He even began to enjoy it.

‘Well, I could always put in a report about you.'

‘Not really. I've progressed at the same rate of any other offsider.' He shoots Enzot a smug smile ‘Even you have to agree there.' Drummer felt a surge of triumph as he watches Enzot turn away.

Enzot is silent a moment while he holds onto the rig, then he turns to face Drummer. ‘You know, we could achieve so much more if we worked together.'

‘We are working together,' Drummer points out, ‘you're the driller and I'm the offsider.'

‘What if we were both drillers?' Enzot slyly suggests.

Drummer is confused. ‘How could we both be drillers?' He wonders if Enzot is going to try to get him to do the drilling and then take the credit. Plus there were the cameras on the rig, ensuring that idea would never work. As annoying as Enzot was, he was certainly not stupid.

Enzot looks off into the distance, then back at Drummer. ‘This place is so rocky. Remember it took ages to find this drilling field? How many more do you think there are around here and still no sign of ice?'

Drummer doesn't know what he was getting at, but this is the first time Enzot has spoken to him as more than a scumbag. ‘So, tell me something new.'

‘Your friend, Chaze, he listens to you?'

‘Most times, yes.'

‘And you both want to prove yourselves worthy of your positions, right?'

‘Get to the point, Enzot, or get out of my face!'

‘There are other asteroids outside this quadrant that are larger. Convince him to land on one of those when it is his shift to fly the prospecting vessel.'

Drummer glances at the rig camera anxiously. is this some sort of trap? Maybe Enzot is just trying to catch him out doing the wrong thing. It is such a crazy scheme it might just work. There is definitely nothing happening here, plus he could have more control. Still, he feels fear rise in his throat.

Enzot sees his nervousness and smiles. ‘I unplugged the cable temporarily.'

Drummer walks over to the camera. No light showed on the display panel. He turns around, slowly. ‘Alright, but I can't guarantee he'll listen at first, if he listens at all.'

Enzot shrugs. ‘We've got plenty of time.'

It is only later that afternoon that the thought occurs to Drummer that Enzot has planned this all along. Enzot knew he would agree, and had already disabled the camera. He glances at Enzot who is working with his back to him. There had been no pressure from him after the discussion.

Maybe he's right. The bigger the asteroid, the more likelihood of there being ice in it. There is however, still the problem of Davis. He will never allow Chaze to change course.

George gazes at the alien landscape he calls the stone desert, it was really just rocks and dirt everywhere. It is late afternoon and the drill rig has extracted minerals from all of the drill holes.

He has stopped so they could have a break. Bekky wants to have a bit of a wander, stretch her legs. George tells her to keep within sight of the rig.

George hears the hum of the hover buggy and frowns. The vehicle stops near him and Ben emerges. ‘A problem?' he asks, gesturing toward the drill rig.

George shakes his head. ‘No, just a break.'

‘I was hoping you would have this finished today.'

‘We are having a break, Ben.'

Bekky returns and George sees the gaze Ben has fixed on her. It angers him. She's Kenny's girl.

‘Come on, Bekky,' he says, ‘back to work.' She begins following him.

Ben laughs. ‘Wait a minute, you stopped for a break, so have your break.'

Both George and Bekky stare at him in surprise. He has been coming out to check on them for the past week, driving them to do more, trying to push for an extra hour. George was not one to complain, but he was considering it.

‘We might just get it finished today, if we get moving now.' He thinks that was sure to send Ben on his way, but he is wrong.

‘Hey Bekky,' Ben calls. ‘Is this giant treating you well?' He grins when they both turn around.

Bekky looks at George and smiles. ‘He's the perfect teacher. I've learned so much.'

‘Careful,' says Ben. ‘You don't want Kenny getting jealous.'

Bekky glares at Ben. ‘There's nothing for him to be jealous about. George is the perfect gentleman.'

‘I'm sure he is. But does Kenny know that?'

George doesn't like the way the conversation is turning. What is Ben's game? Stir trouble between Bekky and Kenny? He knows he is up to something.

‘I don't believe that's a work related question, Ben,' says George, his outer calm belying the fury he felt within.

Ben laughs. ‘True, but I thought we were all buddies.'

‘I'm no buddy of yours,' Bekky cuts in, ‘and there is nothing you could ever do to separate Kenny and I.'

‘I would never think of it,' says Ben, grinning.

‘I think you should go now,' George tells him, taking a step toward him.

Ben sees he is on dangerous ground, and he puts up his hands as he backs off to the buggy. ‘OK, stay cool, mate.'

Bekky bursts into tears as he leaves and George hesitates before putting a hand on her shoulder to comfort her. Blast Ben, he thinks, he has made the simplest gesture feel wrong.

‘Sorry George,' sniffs Bekky, ‘I've tried to ignore him all week.'

‘I think you, me, and Kenny should get together when we get back and have a chat about Ben.'

Bekky gives a watery smile. ‘I think you're right.'

George climbs into the rig. ‘Ready to get back into it?'

Bekky nods and watches as the boom was lowered again to begin drilling the next hole.

Drummer and Enzot are about to pack up for the day when Ben arrives.

‘We're finished,' says Enzot.

Ben looks surprised. ‘Already? I just came from the others not long ago and they still had 27 holes to go.'

‘I've done as much as I'm going to do here, mate,' says Enzot, leaning back against the rig.

‘I see…so you are done for the shift?'

‘Yes, and I think you're a lot smarter than the rest of the crew give you credit for.'

Ben's aggressive stance relaxes with this compliment, but he is still wary. ‘So what's with packing it in here?'

‘Oh, I'm packing it in with this entire quadrant.' Enzot says.

From the expression of disbelief and outrage on Ben's face, Drummer thought Enzot just may have pushed it a little too far.

‘What the bloody hell are you on about?'

‘Think about it Ben. It's not right. We have drawn the quadrant with the smallest asteroids. We're fighting a losing battle. What chance do we have to grab those huge bonuses? And you must admit they are very juicy.'

‘It's just bad luck, Enzot. We were cursed with the number 13.'

‘I wouldn't have taken you to be superstitious, Ben. No, we just have to consider other options. There are other asteroids just outside the quadrant that are much larger.'

Ben shakes his head. ‘In the hot zones, you've got to be kidding! No, we can't go there.'

‘Why not? I've seen the data. There has been no activity there for at least a week. What's to say it can't shift to here instead?'

Ben stares at Enzot, uncertainly. ‘Even if I agreed with your plan, it would never work. There's the rest of the crew to convince.'

‘Drummer has already agreed to talk to Chaze. Haven't you, mate?' Drummer appears from behind the drill rig, nodding reluctantly.

‘So, you already had this planned?'

‘Only partially. It wouldn't work without you.'

Ben appears a little mollified by this comment. ‘That's true.'

Drummer can see his team leader is coming around and he marvels at Enzot's ability to convince him.

‘I was thinking we would need to bust up the rest of the crew so they don't gang up against us. It's going to call for a bit of divide and conquer.'

Ben grins. ‘My specialty, mate, but it's going to look suspicious if you stop work.'

Enzot nods. ‘I agree. Drummer and I will keep going as long as it takes.'

‘What about Davis? He's not going to allow Chaze to take control.'

‘Oh, Drummer is taking care of that. A bit of a belly ache for Davis, and then Chaze can take over. Easy.'

Enzot catches Drummer's expression of alarm. ‘Just a touch of the shits, that's all, mate,' he reassures him. ‘Do him good. He's full of it.'

Ben laughs but Drummer's mind is too full of how he would convince Chaze. He felt it was all moving too fast, but he couldn't pull out now.

Ben begins walking to the buggy. ‘Well, better get back. I know exactly who to stir up first.'

Drummer guesses he means Kenny and Bekky. He has been trying to separate that pair for the entire voyage.

‘By the way,' Enzot calls, as Ben climbs into the buggy, ‘you may get a report when you get back that the cameras on the drill rig were switched off.'

Ben sighs. ‘Thanks for the warning.'

Silence settles over PV 005 as the team members retire to their quarters, tired but happy. Denise smiles, Tiger has a number of toasts made in his honor after Dave spilled the beans about the wish-upon-a-fish Denise made that morning. There was some good natured teasing about it, mainly from Ivan and Varik, and even the captain gave the carp an official mention.

‘You're famous, Tiger,' says Denise, standing at the pond edge. He is already somewhere among the reeds, so she turns and enters her quarters. She notices the light flashing on the monitor and hurries to check the messages. Kenny has left a message for her to call him. She didn't even look at the others. She guesses they would be congratulations. Kenny's message also congratulated her and the team for the find, but she feels there is more he wants to say than that. He is there on the screen instantly when Denise opens communications, and she is surprised to see, not only Bekky there with him, but George, too, seated just a little away from them. She waved to him and he smiles.

‘Thanks for the congratulations, guys.'

Kenny smiles tightly. ‘I would have loved to have celebrated with you but Chaze was on the flight deck.'

‘I thought it was something like that.'

She wondered how much she should ask with George there. Kenny senses her hesitation.

‘George is OK. He's onto them now.'

‘Why? What happened?' She is glad George is their ally, but the situation must have worsened for Kenny to finally let someone else in on his trust.

‘It was just Ben stirring today out on the field with George and Bekky. He's trying to cause trouble between us.'

Denise is relieved. That was a minor problem, but still, she senses something else he isn't saying. ‘Come on, Kenny, what else is happening?'

‘It's not just Ben. They are banding together, him, Enzot, Drummer and Chaze, I don't know why…I feel like they are up to something. It's just a gut feeling and I don't like it.

‘What's new? We always knew Chaze and Drummer were as thick as thieves.'