Trampship Wars 2 Page 9

  The dozons dozens of cargo containers scattered around the junk deck had soon joined the Club house Tom, Jolleen and him had welded to the ov erhead Mark was a member of and became Tramp Town. It was also what had gotten Mark Court-martialed and to everyone’s surprise, including the Captain’s, forced into becoming one of the (hated by Mark) ship’s officers. It had only been a little over a week before but it felt like months now with all the hypnotic sleep teaching and training time Mickey had been giving him every time he had laid down to close d his eyes. Not to mention all the times he had almost been killed over the last week.

  Turning into the first container box next the ship’s hull, Mark led the way back into the Clubhouse portion of the box at the back and pulled down a fold out Sim booth. Then taking the video helmet, he tossed it to Banacheck. “Put that on.” Mark started configuring the booth to look something like the cockpit of a Torpedo bomber. Though Mickey still ha d to do ing most of the work in programing for the video helmet. Mark realizing that the standard Simm gam e of the bombers were to out of date and flat compared to the real bombers now that he had flown the real thing.

  Mark suddenly heard a “whack”, and then a voice. “Get the hell out of here you thieves before I kill you both!” As more whacks followed. Turning around Mark saw Jolleen beating Banacheck across the back and head with a plastic pipe as she screamed.

  “Hey stop that Joll!” Mark stepped over as he reached out and caught the pipe with one hand. Trying to pull it away from her she tried to jerk it out of Mark’s hand as she turned red and faced to Mark. Jolleen stood frozen, breathing hard . with her chest chest rapidly raising up and down , staring at Mark as he smiled at her. “If you are going to beat someone to death, you might want to get something other than a plastic pipe.”

  “What! What are you doing here this time of day?” She said standing there still clutching the end of the plastic pipe as she started to calm down.

  “Working. What are you doing going berserk on my man here?”

  Taking a deep breath. “Every ass hole that comes out of the fucking elevator thinks they have to come in and see if we have anything they want. I finally put a remote alarm on the hatch and came a running for the sixth time since last night and I haven’t even finished lunch.”

  Chuckling. “Ya I guise that is one of the drawbacks of having the first boxes in town. I still can’t believe that Tramp Town grew from our little box es .” Shaking his head. “You want to apologize to Banacheck here for trying to kill him. After all, I brought him in here.” Mark let go of the plastic pipe.

  Letting go of the plastic pipe as s S he leaned the plastic pipe it against the corner of the cupboard next to the door. “Sorry Banacheck.” Flopping down in a nearby over stuffed worn out easy chair. “I recognize you now from Marks initiation party. You were the nice one of the asshole Officers.”

  “Aaa, Thanks I think.” Picking himself up off the couch were he had ended up trying to get away from her. “You carry quit a wallop there missy. I take it you get a lot of practice lately .”

  “Ya lately I do. That lock on the front hatch turns out to be a joke. But then it is the same lock we put on it when we first took possession of the box when we I was seven. I will get a new lock for it this afternoon as soon as I get off work . ” She looked at Banacheck with a frown. “You ok?”

  “Ya I will live.” Rubbing the back of his head and arm where she had hit him more than once.

  Mark finished setting up the Sim booth. “Jump in Probee and get comfortable.” Mark started typing on the side control screen. “I have set this up like the bombers we have down in the pit instead of just the normal Game Sim. A few hours should give you a little head start over the others as far as flying the bomber. The rest will be up to your abilities to handle the situations and tasks they give you for the test. Remember they want aggressiveness without being reckless.” Then sub vocally to himself. “Mickey, do what you can will you. He is a good officer and has been a shit on Probee long enough.”

  “Yes Mark, I have gone over his records and tests and I think you are right. By the time I get done with him this afternoon he will make the cut. Though he may curse you by tomorrow morning when it finally sinks in as to what you have gotten him into.”

  Joll een watched Banacheck in the sim for a few seconds . Then s haking her head. “Well I have to get back to work before they miss me.”

  Turning to Jolleen. “ Aaa. Just a second flats. ”

  “ Mickey Good . How are you coming with a list for Weapons officer candidates?”

  “I have a hundred possible files that I think would make good weapons officers. Though not all are officers at this time. I have also accessed the online Fighter Sim games and picked out some thirty none officer pilots that I believe would be good fighter pilots. Do you want me to forward the lists to the Captain for her approval to have them tested?”

  “Na, Just send orders to have them report to the pit for testing under my authority for now. We will worry about the Captain’s approval later if any of them make the cut.”

  Jolleen’s phone chirped several times. Looking at her wrist she frowned. “They want me to report to the pit for testing. What is that all about? Pilots! Is that what you were just talking about?”

  Mark smiled as he had been thinking about enlisting her in his squadron . “It sounds important. You better go. They are testing for pilots and weapons officers for the bombers.”

  “You have got to be kidding. The last thing I want to be is a fucking bomber pilot or weapons officer. You know my prime studies is for the Communication section not firing fucking weapons. Besides I don’t like the idea of killing people even if they are attacking the ship.”

  Mark was taken a back by her sudden hostile attitude. Thinking as his smile turned to a frown as he smiled . “Don’t tell me you missed breakfast?”

  Her comm beeped again. Looking down at it. “They cancelled the order to report to the pit?” Looking up at Mark baffled. “You or your Mickey did this as a joke?”

  “No not at all. ” Mark smiled at her. “ You wouldn’t be a bad pilot and have all the qualifications and aptitude to be a damn good Weapons Officer and I need weapons officers. But since you don’t want to be one, don’t worry about it.”

  Sitting back frowning. “Call me when you need Comm officers ok.”

  “You’re at the top of my list sweetheart.” Mark adjusted the seat straps on the Ensign. “This may be a cheap Sim booth but I upgraded its gravcoils along with a few other things to give it a wild ride. Listen to the instructor and pay attention like your life depended on it or you will stay a Probee for another year.” Backing up from the booth that was facing the end bulkhead leaving Banacheck hidden from sight as what he was seeing appeared on the screen. “He is all yours Mickey.” Turning around Mark smiled at Jolleen. “Sorry, I thought you would be as excited as everyone else about crewing the new bombers. I have seen you piloting in the Sim game and you are pretty good.”

  “Now I wouldn’t mind piloting. That sounds like fun but just riding along killing people. No thanks.”

  “Mickey, what do you think? Was she on the pilots list?”

  “I am sorry Jolleen.” Mickey walked in from the front of the box. “You do not have the killing instinct required of a combat pilot as you just said. As long as you are in the game you are a great pilot but in the real world you would have a problem pulling the trigger. Now that you have expressed your disdain to killing, I would have withdrawn you from testing for weapons officer anyway. A situation Mark’s ex-girlfriend Dian should never have been put into in the first place but it could not have been helped. It is possible that you would either have committed suicide yourself as Dian would have in time or gotten you and your pilot killed when you hesitated to fire on the enemy. Again as Dian did that almost resulted in all three of our deaths. Please do not be disappointed Jolleen. I should never have put you on the list.”

  “No problem love.” Jolleen smiled. “To bad you
aren’t real. You would make Mark the best girlfriend ever.”

  “But I am real… At least I feel real.” Mickey looked baffled to Marks surprise. “I just don’t have a real body.” Looking down at herself as she held up her holographic hands to look at them with the slight ghosts of what was behind them showing through. “Well, a real body that can touch. But why do I keep thinking that I Love Mark like I have never loved anyone even though I can’t love anyone. That I have a body even though I don’t. ” Frowning. “Godstar. My programing is so fucked up.”

  Mark’s Comm beeped. Tapping it without thinking or looking at it as he tried to figure out what the hell Mickey was talking about. “Collins here.”

  “Mr. Collins, Now that you have taken care of my engine. You need to get up to boat lock 3 and get those damn 3D-projectors off the damn deck. Not only to make room for the torpedo bomber equipment but so the damn ship’s crew will get back to work and the news services will stop calling for fucking tours.”

  “Aaa Captain I am kind of busy right now. I was just headed for the pit again since the Chief seems to have stopped testing the engine finally. I have .. … ”

  “You have to have someplace to put your bombers and equipment Commander. Now empty out that damn lock and get the bomber support equipment installed and out of the damn pit . Before the Chief damages something testing the engines.” The engine test alarm sounded again as the Captain talked.

  “Yes sir. Headed that way now. But you need to order the Chief to quit testing the engine before he damages or even destroys our new equipment. He keeps advancing the power with each test. Out.” Looking over up at Jolleen. “I have to go. Could you keep an eye on the Ensign for me. He is going to need a short break in a half hour.” Taking a step toward the door. “Oh, a , he will need a break every half hour. Giving his mind time to review and absorb each lesson. You should even ask him a few test questions about the session. Make sure he doesn’t do something stupid like leave before Mickey says he is ready and that the breaks are at least 15 minutes long 5 minutes . Then get his butt s back in without wasting time after each break.” Mark smiles as he turned to leave. “Thanks.”

  “Ya sure I wasn’t doing anything important this afternoon like my regular job.”

  “Thanks Jolleen.” Turning to the beautiful woman taking a seat. “Mickey, have Jolleen’s and the Ensigns duty station changed for the afternoon please.”

  “Sure Mark. We can visit if she doesn’t want me to start teaching her about the new English Comm equipment that has come with the bombers that needs to be installed on the bridge and the bomber attack control center when a location is decided found for it.”

  Jolleen’s eyes lit up as she smiled. Then as some stranger one pounded on the outer hatch wanting in, Jolleen’s before going down the boulevard her face turned serious. “ Thank Godstar I thr ew the manual lock on the hatch . Mark, every time I turned around all week, we have been getting offers for our two containers. It seems everyone wants these boxes simply for the location right next to the elevator. You being the oldest and technically the Clubs President and the boxes owner since you are of age now. What do you think? I would love to get away from the damn elevator simply for some privacy. I guess I got spoiled with us stuck with our own hidden little compound when we were down on the junk deck. Can I check into taking up one of the offers? Maybe a trade to a couple of boxes in the back corner on the outer edge overlooking the lock.” Jolleen smiled. “I would love having a view out the cargo hatch when it is open.”

  Mark smiled. “Ya sure Jolleen. Whatever you think would be best. Though with our prime location you should be able to upgrade us to three or four boxes. Clubhouse, workshop and one or two for storage. Though getting three or even four boxes lined up in a row is probably going to be impossible with the restriction against new boxes being put up on the rails.” Shrugging his shoulder. “Just do the best you can and we will have to live with it.” Mark headed out and stopped, turning to Mickey still sitting instead of following. “Aaa. You going to be ok Mickey, with me leaving?” Still new at this AI thing being on his face and still not having a clue as to what she could or couldn’t do.

  “Yes Mark. I can reprogramed the holo emitters from one of the other Game booths if Jolleen will pull it down, and you already have a kick ass computer installed in the Clubhouse here for me to sin k with use with the Sim booths game console. Plenty of power for me to operate from while you are gone. Don’t worry about hurrying back. I enjoy talking to Jolleen.”

  “Ok. So you are staying here?”

  Jolleen got up and pulled the game console down next to Banacheck’s.

  “Yes. Part of me silly, the rest of me is still plastered across your face. Don’t worry I will never leave you. Now go and leave us girls to configure the 3rd Sim to the new Comm console. You are going to need at least one crewman from the ship that can talk to your bomber Squadron.” Jolleen pulled the other console down boxing Banacheck in between them making it hard to even see him as his part of the screen in on the front bulkhead front of him started going through the basics of flying a Torpedo grav b B omber.

  ------------------------------

  It took Mark 15 minutes to get to the boat lock deck as his elevator waited behind the line of other cars waiting to unload. Mark finally telling Mickey to send the other cars back to their original decks. Kicking himself for standing there for so long before thinking the obvious of doing it . After all, he was going to close it down anyway.

  Mark stepped out into a crowded passageway stretching from the elevator to the lock. Trying to push his way through only got him complaints about cutting in line ahead of those that had been waiting for hours.

  “Ok people! Enough of this. I am shutting down the hologram. Everyone back into the elevator. There is nothing for any of you to see.”

  “Yes there is young man. My daughter is in there and I am going to see her.” An older woman She said in no uncertain terms making Mark feel like he was preventing last rights or something.

  “Mark, this woman has already been in but was pushed out after an hour only a few minutes when she got close to the outer emergency hatch to make room for more by the Ships Patrol.”

  “What do you mean you are turning it off.” A big man said as he turned around, that was almost to the hatch into the lock said as he turned around, . “I have been waiting for hours to see if my parents are in there or not and I am not leaving until I do.”

  A woman came out of boat lock #4 that paralleled lock #3 with a connecting e mergency escape hatch by the main hull hatch on the other end of the locks. Most of the people with her got into the elevator but the woman got into line again.

  “Listen, even if I wasn’t going to close it down, if you have already been in, you would be required to leave and give others a chance.”

  “No, they made me leave before I could find my father. I am going back in.” The woman said in no uncertain terms.

  Another woman person spoke up. “I could not find my mother. It is almost impossible to see who is who until you are right next to the body as crowded as it is inside there. And then it is hard to be sure. You have to let us back in.” Tears started streaming down the woman’s cheeks.

  Suddenly most of the people in the passageway started shouting at Mark demanding to get their chance or go back into the lock. Telling him he could not turn it off until they found there loved one or family member.

  “Mark you had best leave. If you simply shut off the projectors you will have a riot on your hands. You need to make a plan and get help.”

  Mark shook his head as Mickey showed him how crowded it was inside the lock and walked down the passageway away from the crowd trying to think.

  Finally he tapped his Comm. “Captain, there must be over a thousand people packed into that lock even though I have already diverted the elevators back to the decks they came from. The masses stand a good chance of rioting if I just shut it down. I would like your permission to schedule a viewin
g time this evening for the relatives. By that time I will have all the bodies labeled and we can publish a map so they can find their relatives without having to waste hours looking for them. Hopefully with that promise I can shut it down and clear the lock for the rest of the day.”

  “That is an excellent idea Mr. Collins. It will also get the crew back to work.”

  “Very well Captain. I just hope they don’t kill me when I make the announcement.”

  “No Commander. That is my job. You just shut it off after I have made the announcement and direct traffic. I will send more help down. Out. ”

  A squad of Ship’s Patrol came huffing and puffing out of the ladder trunk.

  “That was fast.” Mark said as he turned to them.

  “What do you mean fast. We have been trying to get back up here for the last hour. Finally had to stop six decks down ship, the closest we could get and walk up.”

  The Elevator opened and another squad came out. One of them said. “Hey, I thought someone said it was going to take us an hour to get down here. Must not be as bad as they thought.” The Sargent turned to Mark. “What are our orders Commander?”

  “Start clearing this passageway out so we can start emptying the lock. Be nice about it but don’t take no for an answer.” Mark raised his voice. “Everyone out of the passageway into the elevator now. You can come back this evening. Schedule a viewing time on the ships bulletin board so you don’t have to wait and we will have your loved ones marked by then so you can find them. So everyone out now. Go home or to work people, now.”

  The Ship’s Patrolmen started shepherding the crowd in the passageway into the stream of elevators stopping at the elevator hatch as soon as each left the deck and shortly had it cleared out. Not letting the ones coming out of lock #4 to even slow down before getting into an elevator. Leaving one squad in the passageway Mark entered the lock and had to shake his head. He could not believe how crowded it was or how anyone could see anything let alone their family members or loved ones. Mark forcing himself not to look at the wrecked fighter not far from the entrance.