Space Rescue One (34 page)

      Her thoughts about her nudity were only briefly in her mind as she remembered that Richard was in love with her. Did she love him? All day long, the question returned with a vengeance to slap her mind with the force of a rocket launch. Absent-mindedly, she slipped on the robe before she was halfway to his quarters, though she didn't secure it fully around her. It only covered her from the sides and back as she thought about how wearing the robe might please him.

      She entered his quarters and saw that he was already in bed asleep. He seemed so peaceful and safe for the moment that she decided that she could sit quietly for a while to ponder her own feelings before she slipped in beside him. Her biggest question was still hitting her. Did she love him? Too many factors seemed to exist for her to wade through.

      For one thing, he was the Captain. He was dedicated to rescue work, but then so was she. He was also her boss, though she felt that was no obstacle. If anyone claimed that he had a conflict of interest, she'd merely refuse any promotions. After all, life wasn't only getting promotions. Besides, getting promoted to wife might be better anyway. That is, if she loved him.

      Then she had to consider his other side, the side that truly needed her. She no longer felt repulsed by him. His scarred back, the visible reminder of the accident that put his soul in jeopardy, didn't offend her anymore. Now she saw it as a badge of courage. She saw his beard the same way, knowing that it hid more scars from the fire he saved people from. Still, that other side of his was so prideful, so arrogant, so unyielding that she wasn't sure she could bear a marriage to him. She had to be sure. Did she love him? She knew she had to have something sound to base a commitment on. That he loved her was good, but if  she couldn't stand being married to him, she didn't want to hurt him further with wounds whose scars couldn't be seen, except maybe in his eyes.

      Fatigue finally overtook her. Hoping that she wouldn't toss and turn enough to disturb him, she dropped her robe and slipped under the covers to lie beside him. She wasn't at all disturbed to discover that he was naked. She slid closer to him to lie against him like two spoons in a drawer. One hand of hers pressed against the scar on his back while her other draped over him to rest near his hip.

***

"Cha
ser One
has succeeded in capturing comet T3100. Request update on instructions."

      "Congratulations,
Chaser One.
Wait for
Chaser Two
to rendezvous before you deliver it to Mars."

      "Cha
ser One
acknowledging."

***

Seguma chafed at the fact that Bea was pushing his chair into the courthouse. Her eagerness to get him there to file his claim only made his impatience with others that much more visible. He spoke harshly, "I can propel myself, Bea."

      Bea responded, "I know that, but I figured that you didn't want to arrive last and have to wait all day. You can't get any work done if you're standing in a line all day. I'm sorry, Seg. I mean sitting. I didn't mean to say it the other way. Force of habit."

      "Yeah, I know. It happens to me. Can I at least propel myself now that we're inside?" His bitterness continued to sound in every slowly spoken syllable.

      Bea released the chair. "Fine, wheel yourself in the rest of the way. Sit here all day then. You'd think that you might remember that it's not only your damned time that you're wasting with your stubborn streak."

      "Then you don't have to wait with me. Go do whatever it is you want to do. I'll make my own way home," Seguma said.

      "Sure and probably buy some poison on the way. I've stuck with you this far. You're not going to waste one of our finest minds ever by taking your life. No, I've gone this far with you. I'm going to stick it out in spite of your pride and venom."

      "Now who's stubborn?" he asked.

      "Not me. I'm just not a quitter is all."

***

"And
Liberty
is finally leaving the launch pad in what appears to be another perfect launch. The largest space liner ever built is now heading into space where it will soon dock at
Earth Station One
to take on passengers for a momentous voyage."

      "That's right, John. Not only have you witnessed its take off, folks, but we'll both be meeting it soon at
Earth Station One
to take a tour of the opulent
Liberty.
Then I'll remain on board to send back daily reports on what it's like to take a grand tour of space in the most opulent liner ever built. I'll be meeting with some of the immigrants who are traveling to other worlds to live. You'll see what it's like to dine on board a liner. Learn how the passengers are entertained and how they relax on their voyage. You'll even have an opportunity to enter a contest or two in which someone will win the opportunity of a lifetime to take a star voyage on the
Liberty
's next trip through the solar system," Amy said.

      "Too bad I'm not eligible to enter. I'd sure like to travel on the
Liberty.
Hope you have a good trip, Amy," John said.

           

       "Corridor One is disengaged."

       "Airlock is secured."

      "Engage thrusters," he ordered.

      "Thrusters engaged."

      "Distance from station is five meters . . . ten meters . . . twenty meters . . . thirty . . . forty . . . fifty meters."

"Engage main engines. Ahead slow," Captain Reason ordered.

"Engaging main engines. Ahead slow."

"Passing course to helm."

"Helm has course from navigation."

      Captain Reason stated, "Proceed. Communication, what additional information do we have on the comet chaser?"

      "It's a level one emergency.
Chaser Two
lost an engine, sir. Half her engine crew is splattered against the bulkheads. The rest are presumed dead, probably floating somewhere in space. The bridge is still intact and the other engines were shut off shortly after the explosion. They're off course out of the solar system. They could possibly be on a collision course with Jupiter."

"Don't they know for sure?" he asked.

      "They're still checking their figures. Information is still sketchy but they're apparently operating only some of their equipment to conserve the power they have for life support and radio contact. I guess they're checking those manually."

       "Well, tell them to find out quickly even if they have to briefly divert the radio power to their sensor instruments. Then they're to let us know immediately what we're up against," the captain said.

***

Ralph glanced back to find out who was there to see him off. He spotted his friends from the rescue teams and smiled back at them before returning their waves. His accommodations weren't first class since he was taking the first ship to Venus leaving from
Earth
Station One.
In other words, he was taking a freighter. They ordinarily wouldn't have accepted someone on short notice, but his background and friendship with Richard were enough to overcome that obstacle. It wasn't often that a freighter could boast of having someone as qualified as Ralph on board to help out if an emergency arose. Since the recent war ended, many of the ships were manned with even more green crew members than before who didn't know their "asshole from a black hole" as spacemariners most often would remark. Ralph's presence alone would compensate for some of the inexperienced crew members since he could be relied on to lend a helping hand when needed.

      Ralph trudged down Corridor Two and through the waiting hatch, disappearing after turning to wave once more. He carried little with him as he was an experienced spacer who knew that there was often little space available for personal items. The bag he carried contained only the bare necessities, a few photos, and his personal weapon. Not everyone who went in space was allowed to carry a personal weapon.

      It was primarily a throwback to the American system of law enforcement that a law officer could carry a weapon while not on duty to protect himself against any possible retribution. Since Space Rescue was the nearest thing to law enforcement in space, most of the rescue personnel had a personal weapon, sometimes two, at hand or in their quarters. Ralph did. He was glad at last that he had brought his along. He wished that his brother had seen fit to carry a personal weapon. Perhaps he wouldn't have been hurt badly enough in the first place to take his own life later.

      Ralph felt somewhat glad that Richard was among his well-wishers, though Richard's face betrayed how he felt. Ralph knew that he was doing something that Richard didn't approve of. Still, even more than before, he felt that it had to be done if only because Gene was dead. Without a witness, Ralph felt certain that there was no way to get those two men convicted. In fact, had Venus not won its independence, he would have tried first to rely on the courts to handle the matter as an Earth court would have been more accommodating. He wasn't sure if Venus even had courts or trials yet since those used to be taken care of on Earth. It was only one more reason among many why Venus and Mars had declared their independence. It was the only reason why he felt compelled to seek justice on his own for Gene, even if it meant killing the two men he was after.

***

Richard finished his tour of the ship satisfied with the maintenance he'd inspected. Still short-handed, he hoped that suitable replacements arrived soon to fill out his two rescue squads. For the time being, he was commanding one squad personally until someone was promoted to take Chief Brunner's place.

      Much to Richard's displeasure because of the conflict of interest it put him in, Shelly Laumer was the best qualified person to take Brunner's place. If he promoted her, there might be complaints of favoritism leveled against him. If he didn't, he knew he wouldn't be getting the best person in the job. He didn't like his situation though he understood her reasons for placing him in his current predicament. It wasn't easy to begin with since he also loved her. As it was, her actions merely made the conflict of interest visible.

      He hoped that a solution might present itself when the replacements arrived. There was always a chance that one of them might be better qualified, though hardly as experienced as Shelly. Still, Richard knew that was only a long shot and a risky one at that since lives were always at stake when they did their jobs. Sooner or later, he knew he'd have to make a decision.

      Richard left the ship, stopping briefly at the corridor to speak with the crew member on guard. "I'm going bowling if anyone needs me."

      "Yes sir. How are the lanes?"

      "Tricky. I used to be a good bowler on Earth. This alley is something else. It'll sure put you through the grinder trying to make a strike on any of its lanes. Still, it can be great fun," Richard answered.

      "Well, enjoy yourself sir. I'll see to it that you can be found if anything comes up. Have a good time."

      "Thanks," Richard replied before walking down the corridor.

***

Shelly stepped onto the bridge. "Anyone seen the Captain?"

      "Last I saw, he was making the rounds."

      "Thanks. Let him know I'm looking for him if he returns." Shelly left the bridge to check through the ship. She didn't use the intercom because it was ship policy that it only be used for business since using it often caused everyone's adrenaline to start pumping. She reached the exit leading to the station corridor and stopped to ask. "Seen the Captain?"

      "Yes, he went bowling."

      "Bowling?" she exclaimed.

      "Yes, said he was going to have some fun. I guess he left about ten minutes ago. It should be easy to catch up with him."

      "Uh, thanks." Shelly wondered if she should or not. Her mind wondered for a moment at what the guard stated. "Did he actually say that he was going there to have fun?"

      "Sure did. Those were his words. Is it important? I can have him paged."

      She smiled. "No, there's nothing urgent for you to page him for. Thank you anyway. I'll talk to him later. For now, I think he should enjoy himself."

      Shelly left the guard and returned to the common area for Rescue Team One. She entered to see that Jimmy and Alex were in another of their endless discussions on politics and economics among other things. She said, "Guess what? I have good news."

      "What?" asked Jimmy.

      "Richard went bowling to have fun," Shelly said.

      "That's what we were supposed to guess?" Alex asked.

      "Isn't it fabulous? He went bowling to have fun. I think his inner wounds are starting to heal," Shelly replied.

      "Are you sure?" Jimmy asked.

      "The guard told me that was what Richard said," Shelly replied.

      "I mean about the healing. After all, he's been the way he was for a long time now. It just seems a bit difficult for me to believe that we helped him this quickly to get over his guilt," Jimmy said.

      "Well, it's a start if nothing else. Isn't that something to be grateful for?" asked Shelly.