Trampship Wars 2 Page 12

  Mark looked back at Tom. “Thanks buddy. Later.”

  Mark walked up to old number 9. It was the one he had trained in and soloed when he was 18 so they were old friends. Though Mickey wanted to spend extra time checking the fans after watching a pair of mechanics’ welding up cracks in a couple of them the week before, (the first night Mark had gotten Mickey). Five minutes into his pre-trip before Mark had gotten to the fans, Tom came up to him. ”Guess what buddy. The powers that be , decided that you needed a copilot, engineer and cargo monkey on this little trip since you are supposed to pick up cargo and since I am the only one left in the office right now, told me to hitch a ride with you.”

  “Copilot? Hell you haven't even soloed yet dirt bag which makes you a mechanic/cargo monkey. Have you even passed the written again recently so your le a rner’s pe rmit is still valid yet ?"

  “Yes Mr. four eyes Sir. I just am having a hard time with the landing test and some of the emergency procedures is all, but I can fly just fine. I taxi these things around the truck bay and out in the pit all the time.”

  “Hey, I offered to take you up so you could practice the basics and knock some sense into that thick head of yours but NOOO! You always had to play Repel Pirate Boarders.”

  “Well you’re an officer now. And I have to listen to you. Your greatness of ass holes. Mr. your butt don’t' stink . Sir .”

  “Good, you can finish the external pre-trip and I will start the check list.” Mark slapped the clip board into Tom's chest. “Take a good look at the forward fans for cracks while you are at it. They had some welding done on them the other night.” And climbed up into the truck , slamming the drivers hatch closed. Not to be a butt, but because that was what it took to get it to latch properly. But it did feel good even if it was all fun.

  Mark finely had the fans spun up and they floated out the hatch. Taking her around the ship a couple times just for the fun of it as he got used to driving fans again, Mark finally drifted down next to the air cars. Tom standing in the back open hatch guid ed ing Mark back , even with the backup cam m screen on the dash as he slid , up to the closest car before dropping down to the p it’s plasticrete and idling the fans down one .

  With the trailer rigidly attached to the truck, Mark walked back from the cockpit down the 40 foot long truck box and through the two open rolled up hatches, (one on the back of the truck and one on the front of the trailer butted up against each other) then down the 45 feet of additional cargo space providing plenty of room for the four aircars to be lined up inside the box. With room to spare.

  Mark walked past Tom and off the trucks rear ramp without saying a word as Tom looked at him for a few seconds and then followed Mark out the hatch.

  It only took a few minutes to load the aircars and then Mark got a beep on his Comm as he headed for the cockpit.

  Taping h is wrist as Tom walked up behind Mark as Mark tapped his wrist comm. Tom him recognizing Dr. Wells. “Mr. Collins. I appreciate what you did for Ms. Abraham last night but please refrain from visiting Sick bay again while she is here. She is still in intensive care and getting her upset is not good for her.”

  Mark grimaced fighting to hold back his tears as he tried to get pissed at not being allowed to visit the the Hold Battle casualties. “I have several others including Pop and…”

  “No Mr. Collins, they have all been released with Doctor West putting your implants into the crewman that lost her sight in the hold battle with you. She is already being treated as an outpatient. And Pop is ensconced into his shack with his cat for a nurse though I have a medic checking in on him regularly. You have no reason or excuse to visit sick bay. Stay away or I will talk to the Captain.”

  Mark’s mouth dropped open in shock at the Doctors accusation Doctor Wells face softened .

  The Doctor as he looked off to one side. “That will be all nurse.” Then reached out and closed his office door before he sat back and relaxed . “Mark. You were wonderful last night and did what you had to do to save Dian’s life. Don’t ruin your good work by insisting on seeing her when she gets out of sickbay. Just remember what you had and move on. If she ever remembered loving you, she would remember killing all those people crewmen and kill herself shortly afterward. Leave her alone and let her live happily ever after without you. I understand it hurts now, just give it time.” Smiling at Mark. “You are a good boy man Mark, I know you will do the right thing.” The screen went blank.

  Tom had listened shocked until the Doctor cut off and then watched Mark climb into the cockpit and then the pilot’s seat . Waiting for a few seconds as he tried to figure out what had happened, he finally climbed into the other seat.

  “I have the cars tied down and ready to go no thanks to you your highness or should I say your highny-ass .. … ” They sat doing another pre - trip for a few seconds in silence with Mark still frowning with wet eyes, lost in his own world and suddenly Tom burst out, worried about Dian. "I thought you were exaggerating Mark. Did she really get shot? Is she ok?”

  “Oh shut up you fucking moron. She is fine if you count getting her hip welded to the armor in the fighter when we were attacked by 6 gunboats last night during our reentry from the ir main civilian orbital station. She is lucky to be alive. They had to cut off her hip and half her butt and have to replace it and I don’t know what all else. Possibly her leg , if they can’t regrow her hip or fit a mechanical or whatever they have to do . Now go back and finish the damn pre - trip and make sure the cars are all tied down before I really throw you in irons. Turns out she hates my guts now for killing all the crews in the boats I shot down that were trying to kill us.” Mark tried to smile and wanted to be jovial with his old friend but just could not seem to do it as Tom stared half shocked at Mark for a few seconds before climbing back out of his seat to head went back to check the cars again without saying a word .

  “You killed someone?” Tom said shocked. “ You said all those crews. How many did you kill?”

  Mark closed his ey es taking a deep breath. Opening his eyes a number hit him in his face projec ted on his glasses . “Shit Mickey I didn’t need or want to know that.”

  “How many Mark?” Tom was starting to get excited.

  Shaking his head as Tom looked at him. “We… No. I shot down 4 gun boats with a dozen crewmen in each. Killed most of the crew of a 5 th that surrendered just before someone blew it up. I hit a 6th killing some of the crew with a long range burst before it turned and ran. ” Looking down as he closed his eyes. “ Don’t ask me why. They were trying to kill us so I had to do it Tom. I had to kill them or they would have killed us. And now Dian hates me. ”

  “Damn Mark. I wish I had been there. That is so cool. I am sure Dian will forgive you in time. She has to realize you were just protecting her eventually.”

  Mark shook his head as he went back to the pre-trip list. His wet eyes making it hard to read it. After Dian fucking his brains out for most of the week before, to have her totally hate him as she did, was enough to make him want to get mad but he could n’t want to cry . T Even hough if he had told her that he was the one, not her, that had fired the missiles that killed several of the boat crews to ha te him . He still could not believe she actually d id ha te him for saving their lives id . “Thanks Mickey for telling me to tell her to hate me.”

  “Sorry Mark, but we had to turn the hate she felt for herself to someone and you were and still are the best bet since she was already having second thoughts about your relationship with her. Please remember that at her age , her hormones were driving her to leave her crowded parents apartment. Making you in reality the nearest port in the storm so to speak. You were not her first boyfriend but the first to take her up on her offer as immature and desperate as you were after the ship kicked you out of your parents comfortable nest into your own very lonely cabin when you turned of age. There was much she did not like about you but her hormones and excitement of getting out of a bedroom with 2 younger sisters and 3 very annoying brothers in the fa
milies 3 bedroom cabin, made you tolerable. At least for a short time until she could remake you into her perfect fantasy boyfriend. Or not. The point being she would have torn your heart out in time or you would have grown to hate her for constantly bitching at you to change everything about yourself. By the time you two broke up , you both would have damaged each other mentally. You both are lucky that you broke up now instead of later. Just remember, as long as she hates you , she won’t hate herself and she will live long and prosper. You have to continue to reinforce that hate to keep her safe.”

  “Ya but I don’t have to like it. I guess I was hoping that she would get over it and her love for me would win out.” Mark finished the take off list and eased the fans power up to lift the old truck up off the deck. The row of bombers and the crews and pilots trying out for the squadron dropping away as the truck climbed up around the Star Queen.

  “If it is any help Mark. She had an 80% chance of committing suicide within 6 months and no chance of ever becoming a doctor with the trauma of killing those people. That is before we hypnotized her into hating you. Besides 99% of all relationships at your age fail within a very short period of time and by the signs , when you both were together, that include d criticizing and comparing you to her father you for just about everything you did or did not do , including brushing your teeth and showering every time you turned around and then getting pissed at you because you were spending too much time try ing to rebuild the ship’s main engine and not paying attention to her. , I would say the relationship would only have lasted a month at most. Fact is I believe she was already looking for a different roommate she could transfer to. Once she was actually out of her parent ’ s cabin, she was more desirable to the other males. Then there was her father ’ s influence and dislike for you simply because you took his daughter from his cabin and not you personally or anything you had actually done physically. ”

  Mark got the impression that Mickey took a breath as she hesitated a few seconds before going on. Though he knew she didn’t need to breathe as he headed around the n earest pitted ship for the exit corridor out of the space port south towards the planets capital city as Mickey continued . “ At her age , she was just looking for a place of her own out from under her parent’s strict rules and crowded apartment. Then in time , her new found freedom and raging h H ormones , that would have had her looking for different accommodations and even a new mate once she felt comfortable on her own. Making life hell for you until you both could not stand each other except when you were screwing. You have to admit that you were starting to notice her breath and body odor at times as she was yours. Though I have to admit that men tend to ignore such smells more than women. Even if your subconscious mind didn’t. ”

  Another pause made Mark think she h ad finely wound down as he was starting to get tired of listening to the truth. S plit his concentration between t he ships com ing into view around the pit s that stre tched into the distance and the flight plan he needed to follow instead of Dian. But Mickey started talking again. “ Believe it or not, couples that have long term relations, naturally do not think their mate stinks and do not need to use a ton of perfume to hide the fact or need their mate to change everything about them . So cheer up, it is the best for both of you. Like the priest in the lock last night said. She is better off know that she knew you and to tell you the truth, so are you. You have made staying on the ship desirable now that she is out of her parents cabin, enabling her to become a doctor. While her involvement with you allowed you to relax giving you the confidence to go against the engine room crew and concentrate on upgrade number 3 engine against impossible odds. You could not have accomplished what you did without her even though she did nothing but screw your brains out. ”

  It suddenly sounded like Mickey was smiling as she talked . “ Over the next 4 years your mind and body and hormones will continue to change into a completely different more sensible version of yourself . Y and y ou won’t believe you ever even liked her. It just will take some time but remember, you will never be alone as long as I am here and I always will be here for you.”

  “Thanks but I can’t fuck you can I.” Mark said sarcastically as he tried to smile remembering his and Dians all night long sessoins sessions making his loins ach killing the attempted smile as he noticed a particularly ugly ship a couple pits away as he found himself looking for a ship for the Queen to buy someday . Just to get his mind off of the sex with Dia n. But then in his mood , most of the ships in sight were ugly at that moment.

  “Now you’re talking Mark. Besides the best thing for you right now is to get back in the saddle. Just remember there is always more rocks in space including some damn fine diamonds fish in the sea . You will find someone else. I will help you. Besides you already have several women and girls that have expressed interest in being with you now you have your new glasses, me, and are out on your own. I i f you give them half a chance.”

  Mark couldn’t help himself when he tried to tell Mickey that he did not want anyone else but… “Oh. Like who?” Came out instead as his interest in what Mickey was saying suddenly piqued.

  “Mark, someone has broken into the Clubhouse trashing your old childhood lock and is threatening Jolleen. I am calling security but they are busy elsewhere and a good 10 minutes away.” A picture of two big thugs grabbing Jolleen flashed onto a corner of Mark’s glasses.

  Mark slapped the trucks throttle to the firewall as he banked them around in a 90 degree steep turn to bring them back toward the ship. Being careful to maintain a smooth ride to keep from throwing Tom around the hold even if it was at 3 Gee’s. “Get up here Tom and strap down.” Mark yelled through the hatch. Mark looked down on the nose of the strang e ship in the neighboring pit less than a hundred feet away as he brought the truck sharply around with the fans screaming. “Open A holds hatch if it isn’t Mickey and be fast about it.”

  “What the hell are you doing Mark.” Tom exclaimed in surprise as he climbed into his seat. As soon as he was seated Mark suddenly brought the truck around faster pushing him down into the seat as the Gee’s quickly built up.

  “Opening now Mark, it should be open wide enough for you to thread the truck through if you are careful by the time you get there.”

  “Someone has broken into the Club house and is attacking Jolleen.” Mark said through clenched teeth as the Gees pushed him down into the seat. “Something about signing over the tittles to the boxes for a fist full of credits as payment.”

  Coming out of the turn, Mark dove down toward the Star Queen’s A hold level but the hatch was on the other side of the ship. Picking up speed as he pointed the nose of the truck down using the lift fans still at maximum lifting thrust to increase the truck’s speed. “Mickey, I need you to increase the thrust of the new big rear drive fans to their maximum now and leave them there until I start to pull back on the throttles.” The big fans at the rear had replaced two of the trucks smaller original fans years before when the fans simply could no longer be repaired. The rear drive fans being the only fan positions on the truck and its trailer with the room to handle the new bigger fans. Modern industry in that part of the Galaxy simply was no longer making the smaller fans the 200 year old truck needed which was why the old fans kept needing their old metal fan blades welded up when the y y developed age cracks after being used long beyond there designed working lives. The newer , bigger fans at in the rear of both the truck and trailer, needing to be run at a lower power setting so they would not over power the smaller less powerful lift fans during landings and take offs when they were rotated down to help lift the truck when until the forward airspeed of the trucks hull and short folding wings could not provide the needed lift . to allow During normal flight, the rear fans were to be rotated to point backward and drive the truck up to some 400 knots maximum though cruise was usually below 300 knots. The rear fans being used more than the rest for cruising, was why the original smaller stern thrust fans had simply worn out beyond repair much sooner than the
rest .

  With the rear trailer fans at maximum thrust and finally turned their full 90 degrees to the rear , Mark was pushed back into his seat as he brought the nose of the truck up to reduce the drag of the big flat topped hull as the truck rapidly increas ed its ing their speed. The truck whipped past the ship next to the Star Queen as Mark made some final adjustments to their course. “Mickey, is A hold hatch opening yet?”

  “Godstar Mark!” Tom exclaimed. “You’re going to fast to stop and why are you headed for A hold. It is closed. We have to land in the pit. Besides you need to let the Ship’s Patrol take care of Jolleen. What are you going to do even if you get there in time? Pee on them.” As the truck headed around the ship, the open number 3 boat lock with its ramp ran out appeared packed with trucks and equipment. “Mark, there is no room on the damn boat lock ramp either . What are you doing?” Tom could not understand what was going on.

  “Just hold on old buddy.” Mark whipped the truck around pointing the trucks nose at the ship with the truck banked over at 90 degrees. The bottom of the pit out his side window. Using the lift fans to slow them down and the big powerful drive fans to turn them as they came around the side of ship with the fans still at full thrust dipping into the RPM gage into the red . P p ushing them down into the seats. With the all but empty truck (carrying only 4 light aircars as cargo) Tom kept grunting at the 5 Gee’s pushing Tom and Mark deep into their seats. The opening A hold hatch came into sudden view as the truck slide to a stop in front of the widening crack along the top of the hatch , with only a few feet clearance below the boat lock’s extended ramp above.

  Mark slammed the throttles back to the lift thrust he had originally trimmed into the system, turning the truck upright and slid through the narrow opening crack and into the hold. Mark quickly scanned the edge of Tramp Town’s walkways lining the open end across the middle of the hold 4 decks above the hold’s cargo deck and just below the overhead. With several passageways leading back into the rows of container boxes attached to the overhead . Rows of containers covered the hold’s deck one and two container s high leaving plenty of room for Mark to maneuver over the top of them as long as he went around the few 3 and 4 high stacks. A narrow two container wide passageway was even cleared down the middle of the stacks making Mark think of sliding down it to the elevator at the back of the hold to make it easyier easier to get to their container next to the elevator at the opposite end of Tramp Town but decided against it when he saw Pop ’ s shack and all the empty space around it .