Steel Walls and Dirt Drops (27 page)

He said, pointing at the man, "You,
go sit at the navigation overlay console. Set up the ordered course to Heaven's Gate. I know you are not nav qualified, but let the Kiirkegaard's systems do the math."

The man looked at the
junior-grade major standing next to him. The major shook his head no and sat back in his chair. The young lieutenant shook his head no at Britaine and sat down next to the jg major.

Britaine exploded.
"Kiirkegaard, command and control functions on my voice command only." He looked at the officers surrounding him. "Anyone here not willing to lay in the course to Heaven's Gate can get out of my CNC now. I will bury you all with insubordination charges. Get out now."

He watched in utter amazement as all of his officers quietly left the center. He felt a presence at his shoulder. He saw McPherson still st
anding at his back.

"Okay, McPherson. What the hell do you want?" She said nothing as she stood looking at him. "Of all of the people I would have expected to be insubordinate at a time like
this, I would have chosen you, McPherson. What are you still doing here?"

She said, "Waiting, Colonel Britaine.
I am just waiting."

He shook his head and turned back to his console. "O
ps?" There was no answer. "XO? Major Paradise in the flight operations office, respond." There was still no answer.

"Colonel Britaine here: open communications to all levels of the craft. Security, send an armed detail to the
operations office on the double. Second watch, report for duty. All first watch personnel are relieved of duty and confined to quarters."

He turned to McPherson, "Come with me to the
flight office. There may be something wrong there and I am formally requesting your services per our contract for in-transit emergencies."

McPherson nodded
, "Yes, sir."

Britaine thought, "Good. Damn good she didn't say anything else. I don't need a frustrated, frigid bitch to start in on me. Maybe she will make herself useful." He nodded and beckoned her to follow him.

McPherson stopped at the hatchway and spoke. "Colonel, if I may make a suggestion?"

"What is it
now? Can't you see that we have a crisis to deal with?"

"Yes
, sir, I believe it might be best if we seal the CNC hatch and put a voice lock on it."

"What? Yes, that is a good idea." He spoke the command into his
comm unit and they watched the hatch slide shut without a sound. He voice printed the lock and turned to go. McPherson didn't follow him. He stopped and turned back to her.

"Now what?"

She pointed at the lone security spacer standing by the hatch. The man was a mess and he looked baffled at the activity around him. The spacer was a one striper. He was so new he still had packing material stuck to his backside, but Britaine realized the man might be useful whatever his state.

Britaine said, "Right. Spacer, follow."

The spacer looked almost panicked. "Sir, um…sir, I request to be allowed to go to sickbay."

McPherson shot out a hand and ripped the man's needler from its holster. She stuck the needler in a pocket. Then she put her other hand on his chest and gave a slight shove. The
spacer collapsed to the deck.

"Sorry, Colonel,
but I don't believe this spacer will be joining us."

The
flight office overlooked the FAC ramp for take offs and landings, so it was not near the command and control center. The operations office was widely separated from both. The design prevented a missile attack from taking out more than one major center of control. It would make a long walk for Britaine and McPherson.

As a result of their hurried pace,
Britaine was slightly out of breath when they reached their destination. He had been expecting to run into other personnel, but he did not see many. The crew he did see was still either working their way out of the jump nausea, or scurried out of his sight, ignoring his shouts.

The
flight office was empty when they stepped through the open hatch. He sat at the first console he came to and checked the ship status. He saw McPherson shut and lock the hatch behind them. He couldn't imagine why she needed to lock the hatch. She would only have to open it when the second watch and security showed up.

He readily saw the Kiirkegaard was s
itting still in space with all monitors on passive. That was good. The Binders would have a hard time finding one small non-moving spacecraft in the vast volume of space, if they were in the system. His mind refused to lock onto the fact that some of the vessels firing at Gurand's wing had been human.

He commanded the Kiirkegaard to compute a course to Heaven's Gate, including the
standard minimum time for personnel recovery. "Colonel Britaine to engineering," he said into the comm unit. The hatch chime sounded before he could get an answer from engineering. He thought it was about time the second watch showed up.

"Open the hatch, McPherson
," he ordered. She hesitated, but he pointed sternly at the hatch.

Major Paradise stepped into the
flight office. Britaine was surprised to see Paradise looking so calm and cool. With him were First Watch Commander Major Esteban and Second Watch Commander Major Chang.

"Well?" Britaine asked him.

"Colonel Britaine, the three of us need to speak with you. In all fairness, I will tell you that Third Watch Commander Junior-Grade Major Janasovich declined to meet with us." Paradise's voice softened. "Look Muffin, between Nuke, Waterboy and myself; we have a quorum without Tinker."

Britaine bellowed
, "Quorum? This is not a democracy. There is no quorum."

"Come on, Bill. That is not what I meant. We all agree that given recovery time and enough time to lay plans, we should be going back to Gagarin to engage the enemy. We just want you to explain why you want us to go Heaven System
," Paradise said.

"Explain? I can see I have been entirely too lenient on you three. I don't have to explain squat to any of you. This is my
spacecraft, and it goes where I say it goes. End of discussion."

Paradise said, "No. It is not the end of discussion, Colonel Britaine. We respectfully request you reconsider your decision to leave the field of battle."

"No. I-" Britaine started.

Paradise interrupted, "Then
, sir, we demand you relinquish your command to me. You are hereby placed under house arrest. Please leave the flight office and confine yourself to your quarters pending charges of cowardice in the face of the enemy. Come on, Bill. Don't make us order security to haul you out of here."

Britaine was beside himself. His voice was so tense he sounded choked as he tried to speak. "Get out of the FO," he ordered. "Security to the flight office. I want Officers Paradise, Esteban and Chang arrested for mutiny and confined."

Chang said, "No go. Security is on our side. They
’re no longer following your orders. They’re standing off waiting for our call. They aren't cowards anymore than we are. You are the only coward here, you gutless bag of turds."

Britaine spun on Chang just as Paradise and Esteban jumped at him. Before either man could reach him, McPherson stepped forward. A quick stiff arm into his nose dropped Paradise to his knees, blood gushing profusely. In the same fluid
movement, she slammed the heel of her foot into the side of Esteban's knee. He fell to the deck screaming. Chang turned from Britaine to confront McPherson and found his forward movement impeded by a needler pressed against his right eyeball.

"Cease your actions,
gentlemen," she said calmly. "Or someone is liable to get seriously hurt."

Esteban screamed. "Seriously?! You bitch
! You broke my knee."

Para
dise shouted around his hands holding his nose. "You stupid grunt, don't you realize you are nothing more than this coward's lapdog?"

Chang added, "You're in for the same thing as this coward. Don't you know he doesn't care anything about you?"

Britaine said, "Third-Level Commander McPherson. Please clear my flight office."

McPherson gestured with her free hand for Paradise to help Esteban to his feet and out the hatch. She then backed Chang out of the
FO by pressure from the needler barrel. There was no security detachment in sight. She watched the three men limp away until the corridor stood clear and empty.

Britaine slumped back at the console, momentarily unsure of what to do. He shook himself like a wet dog. He called
engineering, but there was no answer. He tried calling Tinker, the Third Watch Commander Major Janasovich, but there was no response.

"Sir?" Britaine looked up to see McPherson standing there. "Sir?"
she repeated.

"What, McPherson?
Just spit them out if you have more suggestions. We don't have time to dilly-dally about," Britaine replied.

"With all d
ue respect, sir; time is all we have plenty of. We have that and my APES. You are the spacecraft expert, so you tell me if I am right. You have locked down all the navigation consoles from all three of the command centers. They are now slaved to your voice command, right?"

Britaine nodded, "Yes, but it seems Paradise, Esteban and Chang
have gotten to the engineering staff. Without engineering we don't have the engines to go anywhere. Does that compute in your tiny little grunt brain: engineering and engines? Get the connection?"

McPherson smiled patient
ly. "Exactly, Colonel Britaine, they have the power and we have the controls. That is a stalemate. We aren't going anywhere and neither are they.

Britaine nodded, “
So, then what? Do we sit locked in here until we starve, or they rig a bypass around the CNC controls?"

"Neither Colonel, my suggestion is that I take a squad or two of my
APES and retake engineering."

Britaine nodded as if tasting something nasty
, "Okay, then. Do it." He couldn't believe he had to trust this woman. She had been a pain in his side since she came on board. Still, he could have her busted from her command after she managed to get him back to Heaven System.

Chapter T
hirty-Nine

Misha shook her head in wonder as Britaine closed the hatch to the flight office behind her. She was amazed such a fool had ever made it to colonel. She knew Britaine was not stupid, but he evidenced so little common sense. She remembered her father pounding into their heads that the problem with common sense was that it was so uncommon.

When she was sure the hatch cover was
in the fully closed and locked position, she turned toward APES country and ran down the empty corridor in a ground-covering lope. She expected to run into a security detail at any moment or a group of officers, but all she saw was a few spacers and lower ranking sergeants wandering aimlessly.

She shouted at them to return to their duty stations and await orders from Colonel Britaine. Some of the
spacers responded by turning and heading off, glad for any specific order to follow. Others continued to stare at her as if she were crazy. A few shouted profanities at her, calling out that they didn't take orders from grunts, ground-pounders, or whatever other things they could think to call her. None of the spacers attempted to interfere with her.

Misha ordered her comm unit to begin
collecting intra-craft calls. She needed to pick up a few tidbits of information such as what was going on in other parts of the spacecraft. She was only mildly surprised to hear conversation after conversation about either giving the command to Paradise or about mutiny against Britaine. She was sure the only difference between the two was a minor difference in perspective. She was just as positive any court-martial would look upon both actions with equal distaste.

It would only take one
ill-timed action and this whole mess would turn bloody. She wasn’t sure anything could fix this mess. She just knew if she could get her APES ready in time they could stand between both sides. Maybe their presence would diffuse some tempers until they could come to a solution. Misha hoped that would work as she hurried to APES country. She fervently hoped that it wouldn’t just put her people in a cross fire between two different groups of the same kind of stupid.

Broadcasting unit wide, Misha ordered, "This is Third McPherson to all Allied Protective Expeditionary Services. I am sure you know by now a mutiny is brewing on the Kiirkegaard against Colonel Britaine. Be prepared for action, but do not react except to defend yourself. I want all weapons on lock down now.” She continued without breaking stride. "I want everyone in the squad bays. Communications using only by APES secure lines. Stay off Kiirkegaard's network. I am almost back into APES country, maybe five minutes out. We will deploy at that time to aid Colonel Britaine in the defense of his command. Save your questions for now. McPherson out." She hoped that would keep her command from jumping into the mess before she could set a clear course of action. Britaine needed help fast, but APES are trained to be lethal. No one wanted or needed dead crew.

Misha rounded a corner and came
face-to-face with a security patrol. She expected some resistance from the crew, but she was surprised they waited to stop her when she was only one corridor away from the hatchway into APES country and her own troops. Any reinforcements she might need were only a shout away. She skidded to a stop, her soft-soled black jump sneaks squeaking against the deck plates. There were only four spacers in the security detail. Unarmed they would have presented a problem for Misha, but not an insurmountable problem. Four against one was doable. However, all four carried needlers, although their weapons were still in their holsters.

She held her arms open wide, spreading her hands to show she was unarmed. She still had the needler she had taken from the spacer outside of
CNC, but it was deep in a pocket where it was hard to reach. Misha didn't want a shootout if she could avoid it. She was fast, but not that fast. The odds were against her in armed combat.

Misha smiled, "Let
’s be easy on the trigger fingers, okay? I am just trying to get back to APES country. There isn't any reason for anyone to get hurt." While she was talking, she reached up with one finger and slowly tapped her comm unit three times. That would reopen the channel to her unit and activate her locator beacon.

She
recognized two of the spacers. Their names were stuck in her head, just at the tip of her tongue. They were two from the training bay incident. She thought, "How long ago was that? It seems like weeks, no wonder I can't remember their names." Still, she had to speak to send a message to her troops. She smiled and said to the short male sergeant, "Four armed security people seem like a bit much for an empty corridor, don't you think?" None of the four spoke or drew their weapons, but they were blocking her progress. She was pleased that none of them were facing the direction her reinforcements would come from. Suddenly, the names popped into her head. "Sergeant Williams and Spacer First Class Molinna, right?"

Both nodded sheepishly.

She smiled and took a step closer to them. "Good to see you again. May I pass by to get to my quarters?"

One of the unknowns, a man with a large drooping mustache, drew his needler nervously and pointed the muzzle in her direction. She could see his finger resting on the trigger guard and not the trigger. The other unknown was a young man with flaming red hair. He drew his needler as well. Red slid his finger onto the trigger, but pointed the muzzle at the ceiling over his head.

Misha smiled knowing Red would do more damage to himself than to her if he flinched and shot the needler at the ceiling. Needler ammunition would slice into human flesh with knifelike deadliness, but it wouldn’t punch holes into the steel bulkheads. As a result, needler ammo tended to splatter and ricochet in a shower of flechettes.

Misha said, "No need for weapons, folks. I am just trying to get back to my squad bay. Let's keep our finger
off the trigger, shall we? What do you say, Sergeant Williams?"

"I don't know, Third. I have orders to detain you
; orders from Major Chang," Williams said.

"I can understand your need to follow orders, but Major Chang is wrong
," Misha replied.

Molinna interrupted, "Major Change said you broke Major Paradise's nose and shattered Major Esteban's kneecap
, and you threatened him with a needler."

Mustache said, "We ought to shoot the bitch now, just to be done with it." Red bobbed his head in agreement, his eyes wide.

Molinna said, "Shut up, you two."

Williams nodded. "It is true we don't know what is going on, but you know it really doesn't matter. Chang said Britaine has gone crazy, turned coward and is running from the enemy. Britaine is all over the intercom shouting about mutiny."

Misha smiled, held her hands wide and took another step toward the group. She was wondering why her squad hadn't arrived yet. She said, "I know it’s confusing, but-"

Williams interrupted, "It isn't confusing
and it’s officer problems. I don't really care what they do. I’m just following orders." The other three nodded their heads in agreement.

Misha nodded in
concert and took another step closer. "I can see how you’d think that, but whose orders you’re obeying can make the difference between obeying the rightful commander and participating in a mutiny."

Red shouted
, "You better shut up. We know you're just siding with your boyfriend Britaine." He shook the needler in his hand. He looked over at Mustache to make him brave.

"Everybody shut up.
” Sergeant Williams said. “I am sorry, Third. But, I have a job to do. We all do. As far I know Major Chang is an officer. I have to follow his orders. Why don't you come with us and talk with him?"

Molinna nodded in agreement. "I know you've had some problems with Major Chang, but I
’m sure we can get this straightened out."

"Yeah
," Mustache said. "And if Major Chang is right about that bastard Britaine turning coward and running, then the Major has a right to remove him from command, don't he?" This last, he asked Sergeant Williams.

Williams shook his head. "No
, he doesn't. It means he should be removed from command, but that isn’t up to Major Chang to decide, or Paradise or Esteban. But, if he went crazy, they’d have to remove him from command."

Misha took a step toward the group. She was now within easy reach of three of them. She still wouldn't be able to grab Red if it came to hand to hand.
"Yes, Sergeant Williams. You are right as far as you go. However, if Colonel Britaine did go crazy, it still wouldn't be up to Major Chang would it? Wouldn't that be based on a report by the medical staff?"

Mustache said. "For all we know
sick bay told Major Chang that Britaine was crazy. How the hell do we know what officers talk about? Besides, we know you’re just siding with that bastard Britaine. And didn't we tell you to shut up? Dammit, Williams, let's just jam her in handcuffs and stuff her into the stockade until we get this straightened out." Still pointing the needler at Misha with one hand, he reached out with his free hand and grabbed her outstretched right arm. He tugged at her, trying to spin her around to have her back to them.

Misha let her knees bend a bit and ducked her right shoulder. This little bi
t of direction change shifted Mustache's balance, causing the man to turn slightly. His turn carried the muzzle of his needler away from her. She spun her right arm around and locked a grip on Mustache's elbow, bending it backwards. She braced her feet, tightened her muscles and she yanked him into her torso with a jolt. Her left hand shot forward and got a grip on his needler. A quick twist of her wrist and the needler was in her hand. She spun the gun around and slid her finger onto the trigger. She didn't fire. She still wanted to avoid major bloodshed if she could. Instead of shooting, she grabbed Mustache by the front of his uniform and threw him into Red. The two men went down in a crumbled pile. She dove forward, wrenched the gun away from Red, rolled into a ball and came up facing Williams and Molinna as they scrambled to pull their needlers from their holsters.

Misha had Mustache's gun in her left hand and Red's in her right, but she still held her fire.
Ducking her head, she plowed upward between Molinna and Williams and slammed into Molinna. The tall spacer bent at the waist as Misha's forehead crashed into her stomach. Misha straightened quickly, mashing the back of her head into Molinna's nose. Molinna fell over backward, knocked unconscious.

Misha kicked her left leg straight back behind her
connecting with Williams’ chest. Pressed for time, she had used more muscle than she had planned. She heard bone crunch as some of William's ribs broke. The man went down.

Mustache and Red were untangling themselves and getting to their feet. Misha spun from the momentum of
her kick into Williams, planted her left leg onto the deck plates and kicked straight out with her right leg. The sole of her book connected with Mustache's face with the sole of her boot. The man's eyes glazed over as his nose broke. He sank back onto the deck.

Misha stood over Red as the man froze halfway to his feet. She pointed both needlers at
him, one muzzle for each eye, only a scant inch away from the eyeballs. From this distance, she was sure all he could see was the open barrels. She waggled the needlers in a motion for him to stand up.

She said, "Relieve Williams and Molinna of their side arms.
Please move carefully and slowly, spacer. Now, give them to me. Good. Now tend to your comrades, call the sick bay to come and get them. Williams has broken ribs, Molinna has most likely suffered a concussion and your buddy with the mustache has broken his nose."

Misha left as Red frantically called for help from the Kiirkegaard's
sick bay. She knew his next call would be to either security or to the mutineers, but she didn't have time to take care of the injured or take him prisoner.