Destiny's Choice (The Wandering Engineer) (56 page)

"You've
got all the answers," Brutus said turning away.

"Nope,
covered that. But if you want lessons, look me up on the mat. I'm doing a class
tomorrow night."

That
had started just after they had exited hyper. It had eaten into his time with
April, but it had kept things interesting from his perspective. The classes
were small, no more than six at a time. He had so many people interested in it
now, some of them not even in security that now he was considering starting a
second class to go along with the first.

The
man froze then looked back with a snort. "I just might do that." He
shook his head. "Come on fellas, let's let the man get back to work."

Irons
waited until they left. The guard shook his head and wiped his brow. "Damn
man, both at once? All four at once?" He looked at Irons. "And it
didn't even phase you?"

"No."

"Brutus
killed a guy in a bar I heard. Years ago. Before Destiny was liberated by the
pirates." The big guard had been intimidated. Even armed he'd been afraid
of the big bruiser. Irons hid a scowl. It was good to have a healthy respect
for one's opponent. But don't let them have the mental advantage or the fight
was over before it had begun.

"Ouch,"
Irons winced. "I'm surprised the pirates didn't recruit him.”

“Oh
they tried but he said no.”

Sprite's
avatar seemed interested in that. She pretended to write something on a tablet
in her virtual hands. Irons pursed his lips, for the moment ignoring her
antics. “Surprising. And the other guy?"

The
guard shook his head. "Jed. He's smarter than he looks. Where one goes
inevitably the other follows."

"I've
got their personnel files if you want," Sprite said for his ears only.
Irons gave a dismissive wave.

“It
might be a good idea for them to work off their extra testosterone in the ring.
Channel it. Or do some sort of heavy sport activity. I suggest you pass that on
to Chief Chambers or Mr. Notuma.”

“Who
me?”

“Sure
why not?” Irons quirked an eyebrow at the kid. He obviously needed seasoning.

“Okay,
you say so,” they guy said, looking bemused. Sprite put a holo name tag on his
left breast. He didn't need it though, he remembered him.

"Well,
I'll just log this then go clean up." He gave the kid a look. "I take
it Nate called in the cavalry?" he asked amused.

The
guy was looking down the corridor the way the men had gone. "Huh? Oh,
yeah," he shrugged. "Well, someone did at any rate."

"Well,
nothing happened, so it's okay. No harm no foul," Irons said nodding
politely to the officer. "Have a good day officer Kitching."

"Yeah
thanks. Ah wait, how'd you know my name?" he asked as Irons walked away.
Irons turned and smiled.

"I
remember you from last week's class. Still getting over the bruises?" he
asked. The kid nodded. "Good well, the invitation is open for anyone,
tomorrow, 1900." He waved and left.

"Tattle
tale," Irons said under his breath.

"Nate..."

"No
I mean you," Irons said to Sprite. He was sure now who had called in
Kitching.

"Actually
it was me Admiral," Defender admitted.

"Oh,"
Irons sighed. "Fighting my battles?"

"That
is my programmed duty. Besides, you were assigned a guard. The guard left to go
to the bathroom, abandoning his post."

"Or
in this case heading them off before they started a fight," Sprite
responded with amusement. "Don't you have a date with April?"

"Which
is why I'm going to go wash up," Irons said with a smile.

"Admiral
about April..."

"Don't
go there," he growled.

"Admiral
she's..."

"So
don't go there," his growl got uglier.

"Understood.
Butting out now," Sprite said with a crisp voice. "But you should be
aware she's trying to stay with the you."

He
opened his mouth to object to her insert and then he winced as it hit him.
"All right, you told me. I'll deal with it. Go do something else. File
something, debug something. Play a video game, I don't care."

"Aye
Aye Admiral."

"Want
to talk about it?" April asked as he speared a piece of meat. He frowned,
not really in the mood but trying hard not to sour her mood. He didn't want to
affect her in that way. Obviously something was getting through though.

"Depends
on what it we're talking about," he said not looking up.

She
frowned a little at him. "Your close encounter? Or the whole attitude
you're starting to have?"

"I'm
getting an attitude?" he asked looking up in surprise. He looked around
the room, wincing at the looks some of the people at the nearby tables were
giving him. Great, he didn't need that. He tried to school his thoughts to more
normal lines.

"Like
the whole world is out to get you? Paranoia?" she asked smiling.

"Um...
I seem to remember a lynch mob a couple of times..."

"True,"
she said. She shrugged. "I wasn't in it. Don't take it out on your
friends. They will get over it. In time when it dies down, when people get the
facts and get over themselves. The question is, will you?"

He
smiled. "Believe it or not, I'm actually aware of negative publicity and
it's effects on people. I even took the class." He shook his head.

"There
was a class?" she burbled in amusement, wiping her mouth with a napkin.
"I don't remember that on the college syllabus."

"Not
on Anvil. My time," he said sitting back and setting his fork down.

"Oh,"
her brows knit.

"It
was a minor college class at the academy. I took it because it was a fast week
and the class I had wanted was full. Turns out it's a minor requirement for
promotion."

"It
is?"

"Dealing
with the public is something you have to do as an officer," Irons
shrugged. "The higher you go, the uglier things can get. Politics can get
dangerous."

"And
you took the class to what? To navigate that?"

"The
best way is to avoid it altogether," he said with a shrug. "I would
make myself as unavailable as possible. The media called it ducking out, and
the Navy's press liaisons weren't happy about it. But if I'm not on camera I
can't put my foot in my mouth and make the situation worse."

"True,"
she laughed.

"You're
right though. Time is the only thing that will heal wounds like this. Time and
knowledge. Considering the level of willful ignorance though..." he
grimaced. "My best bet is, well..."

"To
run away from it far enough so people haven't heard it so you can start
over?" she asked helpfully.

He
winced. Running didn't sound right. He was retreating under fire until the
battlefield cleared. He'd pick his own time to attack. "Something like
that," he sighed. "And no, It's not exactly running away. I actually
was planning to leave the system in a few years."

"Oh?"
she asked, one eyebrow raised.

"I
was planning on going out on Prometheus," he sighed. It wasn't the first
time he'd told someone this. It apparently hadn't caught the right, or wrong
people. Or they had been too impatient or too dead set on ruining him to wait.

"Why?"
she asked confused. "Wouldn't... I mean aren't you needed at the
base?"

"San
Diego? It can be built without me breathing down their necks. Not as fast or as
easily, but it can be done." He shook his head. Not really true he
realized, but close. With a little juggling and creative engineering Logan
should be able to get the project moving forward. Granted not at a very fast
pace, but fast enough. The big problem was going to be the power and weapons.
"Besides, I had plans for that. That and the defenses of the the other
warp points. No, once I was sure Pyrax was secure I wanted a personal look at
each system in the area. Remember, I am also the only person who can initialize
a replicator."

"Yeah,
so shouldn't you be the last person we endanger? Spirit of space I forgot
that!" She threw her hands up in the air. "Isn't that going to mess
up the Pyrax replicators?"

"Just
a bit," he smiled.

"And
that will make them regret chasing you out of the system," she said
sitting back and chuckling now.

He
held a hand up, fingers about a centimeter apart. "Just a tad. I bet they
will be a bit put out over the whole thing when it sinks in. Most likely it
has
sunk in by now."

She
grinned evilly. "Ouch. Are you going..."

"No,"
he shook his head. Her face fell a little. "Onward and outward as the
saying goes. I'm going to find another system or two, or three, and get the
ball rolling in each." Her eyes widened. He patted her hand.

"I
told you, I'm serious about the Federation. Getting things back on track is the
best way to fight off the pirates and get people working on the future.”

"And
the pirates serve as a nice external threat for everyone to rally
against," Sprite said for his ears only. He waved it away with a slight
nod and hand gesture under the table.

"What?"
she asked.

"Sprite
putting her two credits worth in. Never mind." He shook his head. "Enough
politics. How was your day? Did you get a lot done?" he asked.

She
smiled. "You really want to know?"

"If
it's better than tearing apart a recycler and putting it back together,
sure," he grinned.

She
grimaced, wrinkling her nose. "Yeah okay, I'll admit it was better,"
she said, eyes twinkling. He smiled.

"See?"

"Oh
you!" she said blushing and dimpling nicely.

"Well?"

"You're
serious?"

"As
a plasma gun. Let's hear it lady," he smiled sitting up straight then
leaning forward, arms crossed.

She
ran fingers through her hair and chuckled softly. "Well I was trying to do
more interviews with the captain but that's a dead end so I got into the
library and did some research. I was working on background pieces..."

She
smiled wickedly as she slapped his right flank then tried to bolt for the door.
He caught her in two steps and started to tickle her mercilessly. There was
some benefit to living in such cramped quarters. Well, some, but he liked the
chase as much as she did. She shrieked a laugh, then tried to muffle it to
giggles as people in the corridor turned to them. He backed her up and she
wrapped her arm around his neck, pulling his head down to kiss him to get him
to stop.

It
didn't work though, since his wicked fingers were still free. She finally caught
them with her own, tangling them together and gripping tightly. He let her push
him back, giving only token resistance as they play fought. She  snapped her
teeth at him, eyes flashing. “I am so going to kick your ass for that.”

“Bring
it,” he grinned wiggling his fingers.

“No
implants,” she growled. He snorted.  She backed him into the wall near the door
and then stood on her tip toes to kiss him. A tech nearby paused to look and
then whistled softly.

She
gave the others in the hall a leering mischievous look and then backed through
the opening door to her quarters. They tumbled onto the carpet in a heap. She
couldn't stop giggling at his oof. "My someone's frisky tonight." He
laughed. Her lips engulfed his once more and coherent thought went out the window
after that.

The
Admiral kissed her neck and shoulder. She smiled a coy smile, loving his touch.
He could be firm, or feather light and gentle. He knew all the right places.
Decades of practice no doubt. He stroked her form under the sheets. She purred.
He chuckled softly at that.

"Making
more promises?" she asked throatily. Her eyes danced in the dark. He
smiled.

"Any
time, anywhere," he said, eyes twinkling as he admired her form.

"I
just may take you up on that,” she said, fingertips stroking his cheek and jaw.
“Though if we did it in the galley or the bridge I think it would raise more
than one eyebrow," she laughed a throaty laugh.

He
chuckled and his fingers touched her sides then went to more intimate areas.

"My
you are a naughty boy," she gasped slightly and smiled a little smile as
sensations ran through her body, all pleasurable. "Damn that feels
good," she softly said as he half caressed, half massaged the area.

Sprite
checked in and then out fast. He didn't even blink as she shook her head on his
HUD and rolled her eyes as if to say 'what again?'

Sprite
checked the node and then turned her attention to engineering. She was bored.
She started to trace the wiring around the room the Admiral was in, comparing
it with the ship's plans just to keep busy.