The Apprentice Starship Engineer: Book One The Link (11 page)

“So we are off to maintenance then?” she asked.

“No, we’re going to look at
Discovery
.”

Chapter 7: Planet 9732

Jenny gave me a smile when I passed my hand across the lock and the heavy door mechanism spun as it opened. Everything smelled new. We walked past the rows of chairs, enough for fifty people.
Discovery
would make several trips. On the first one, the only passengers would be the security medical specialist and I.

“Wow, it’s beautiful, Drake. Lucky, you get to be the first person to land on a new world,” Jenny said.

“Think they’ll name it after me? Drake’s world?”

“Heavy-world landers are so cool-looking.” She ignored my comment.

Margret chimed. “You have a mission briefing in conference room three in fifteen minutes,” she said.

“Yeah, I forgot about that. We better get going.”

After arriving just minutes early, I was shocked to see Sandra sitting at the conference table. I took the seat next to her. She gave me a smile. “What are you doing here?” I asked.

“You sound angry.”

“I’m not. Just surprised.”

A man rushed into the room, looking as if he was in a hurry. He went to the head of the table, followed by a nervous woman who sat next to him. “Who are you?” he asked, looking at Jenny.

“Jenny Strand. I’m here to make sure Drake doesn’t fall by Doc Weston’s orders.”

He looked at me. “Are you going to be well in three weeks?”

“Yes. Doc says I should be well in a few days.”

“My name is Ron Siltstone.” He turned to the nervous woman. “This is Nala, my assistant. I’ll be the team leader during our six-month visit to the planet’s surface. As you’re well aware, we’ve had a change in personnel. Bob has been replaced by Drake Wilson. Sandra, your assignment is to stay with him and keep him from getting himself killed.” Everyone looked at me. I shrugged. Ron continued. “They say you’re good and a fine addition to this mission, but I have my doubts.”

Sandra smiled. “Sir, he’s as good as you’ve been told, and I’ll keep him safe.”

He gave her a nod. “We’ll land first, set up the security perimeter and the mission support systems. Once we have them operational,
Discovery
will return with housing modules and support personnel. On the next trip,
Discovery
will bring the extended excursion vehicles and several other transports. On the fourth, and final trip, the researchers and balance of support personnel will arrive. This will bring the population up to sixty. We don’t have any extra time. The
Armstrong
needs to leave orbit within ten days to reach star 4217 to view its collision with a planet.”

He glared at me. “The mission depends on you getting the area cleared and the perimeter secured. I want you to get simulator time on the unloader, hog and other machines. We’ll meet in ten days, and I want to hear a progress report from you.” He turned to Sandra, and said, “I want a complete inventory of the weapons we’ll be carrying to the planet’s surface.” He looked at us both. I got the impression he wanted to swagger back and forth in front of us. Maybe slapping a ridding crop against his boots from time to time. “I want this excursion to go perfectly. Nothing left to chance. Everything must go perfectly. Understand?” He looked at the nervous woman. “Another change to the mission is that Nala and I will be accompanying you to the surface. I’m a hands-on leader. Get used to seeing me.” He got up from the table and abruptly left with Nala scurrying after him.

“Shit, did anyone get the number of that truck?” Jenny asked.

Sandra shook her head. “Wow. Ron, he’s quite a guy.”

“Well, cool, we get to keep on training. We’ll be together. Sandra, we’ll take care of each other.
Everything will be fine,” I said, patting her hand.

* * * *

Doc Weston was happy when he finished checking me over. “Well, you’ve healed up nicely. See what happens when you follow your doctor’s orders?” He looked at Jenny. “Thank you for your help, Jenny. Drake, I’m releasing you from light duty. Consider yourself well. You may get a headache. That would be normal. Take some aspirin if it persists and give me a call.”  

I was sad when doc released me from light duty, and Jenny no longer had to go everywhere with me. My tube was depressing. The first night I couldn’t sleep.

In the morning I grabbed a couple cups of coffee and donuts and then headed to maintenance. So what if I get in trouble, I thought as I set the donuts onto the conference table. Jack told me that I wasn’t required to do any work. My job was to be ready to keep the expedition running smoothly. He volunteered to show me as much of the equipment as was possible in his free time. Waiting for Jack, I had Margret display a schematic on the wall of the perimeter force field generator.

Jack came in and looked at the display. “Funny, you never learn a system until it breaks and you have to get it fixed. It’s good to study, though. You can get an idea about how it works.” He sat, taking a donut, then sipping his coffee. “How you feeling? The truth.”

I smiled. “I had to lie. We couldn’t stop. It’s dangerous to run through a warp bubble in manual. If we’d dropped out of warp, we could never align the emitters. We had to continue.”

Jack held up his hand. “I know you had to lie. Sorry, you’re right. We couldn’t stop. Are you feeling good now? I want to show you the equipment you’ll be working with.”

“I still feel puny. I’ll tell you when it’s time to stop.”

“Good enough. I’ll check the nag list, then we’ll be off.”

It was a scary machine, standing over four meters high with rows of blades that spun. Behind them were two drums that crushed everything the blades cut.

“After the material is crushed, a conveyor takes it back to this compartment. Where it’s radiated, killing off any animal or bacteria, then it’s dumped out the back,” Jack said.

“Pity the slow animals,” I said. We both stared at the machine.

“Yeah, well, as you can see, changing a blade is easy. I don’t expect you to have any trouble with it. This area is radioactive.” He pointed to the middle of the machine and looked at me. “You won’t survive if you open that hatch.” He moved on to another machine parked next to the mulcher. “The emergency vehicle, medical and mechanical. You’ll love it.” We moved on from one piece of equipment to another. Jack took his time.

After a couple hours, I felt my energy drain. “Break time, Jack. I’ve had enough for now.”

Jack nodded. “Sure, kid, let’s call it a day.”

I was tired, and went straight to my dorm to sleep. I had Margret call Sandra and cancel our workout. The next few days, I my strength returned, and I was even able to help Jack with some of the normal repair work. Sandra and I continued with our normal routine of daily workouts.

Ron Thompson again proctored my third-year test. I passed again with honors. Jack and I didn’t celebrate. It just didn’t seem right without Bob. Jack did give me a bottle the next day.

“Here, kid, you might need this on that planet,” he said.

* * * *

Ron called a meeting with everyone who’d be going to the planet’s surface. It was held in the gym. As I entered, Nala grabbed my arm and sat me next to Sandra in the first row. I gave her a nudge with my shoulder. She was reading a list of arms on her assistant and only grunted. I looked around the room, and was impressed. In front of me was a short stage with a podium and chairs lined up on both sides. We were seated in a semicircle around it. The chairs were comfortable, and the murmur of voices wasn’t harsh. I spotted several people from my dorm.

Nala took the podium. “Please take your seats. We’re ready to begin.” The murmur of voices quieted and chairs scraped as they were moved. She looked the audience over. “Thank you.”

Several professors, Ron and the captain entered, taking seats on either side of the podium. Nala sat at the side of the stage as Ron positioned himself behind the podium.

Ron looked around the room. “My name is Ron Siltstone. I’m the landing party team captain. In two days, we’ll start landing on planet 9732 to explore a whole new world. Who knows what we’ll find on our mission of discovery. The first landing will be to set up support for the researchers, and will consist of Sandra Marsh, Drake Wilson, Nala Francis and myself. I’m a hands-on manager. Get used to seeing me.”

I started drifting off, thinking of other things as Ron talked. Different pictures were displayed behind him with cute little sayings. Things about team work and we’re all in this together.

I popped back to reality when he said, “My door is always open, and I’m ready to listen to any ideas, but I want to make it clear that whiners aren’t welcome.”

He walked back and forth across the stage. His next slide was how he liked to be communicated with. Sandra tensed as he talked on about his communication style and how we should talk to him. I checked out again, my mind wandering off, thinking of the bender ring and the power it consumed.

Ron ended at the podium. He put his hands on either side, and said, “I consider it an honor to be leading this wonderful and talented scientific team.”

I felt uncomfortable as Ron sat. Maybe he expected an applause. I didn’t want to clap for him. Well, maybe I could now he was finished. Guess I could cheer that. I looked over at Sandra. She bit her lip and scowled. I nudged her with my arm, and she gave me a tight smile.

The captain took the stage. I liked her. She was nice-looking, but I didn’t hear a word she said. It was just more go-team rhetoric. I amused myself by going over the set up on a force field generator. My chair was becoming uncomfortable by the time the meeting was finished. As everyone stood, I grabbed Sandra’s hand and pulled her off to G-four for a stiff drink. I think most of the audience had had the same idea. Someone offered a toast to Mr. Full-of-himself.

Sandra took a sip of her drink. “Thanks for getting me out of there.”

I put my arm around her shoulders. “We’re in this together. Don’t worry, I’ll take care of you.” She reached over and hugged me, then nibbled on my ear, sending shivers through my spine. She pulled away and put her nose against mine. Sighing, I said, “Sandra, someday I’m going to think you’re serious.”

She pulled away, slid back into her chair, took another sip of her drink, then looked at me. “What the hell am I going to do with you?”

I looked at my empty glass and shrugged. She picked it up and smiled. She crossed the room. I was lucky she even talked to me, I thought.

We finished our drinks and then I walked her to her dorm. We kissed for a long time before she left me in the hall with a hammering heart. As I walked to my dorm, I thought maybe she was crazy. I just didn’t get our relationship. One minute she was nice, then she was a monster?

* * * *

It was our last night together, and both Kathy and Jenny looked sad. The last three weeks had gone fast. Kathy had been right. Taking time off once a week had helped me focus on studying.

“You both look sad. Should I be hopeful you’ll miss me?” I asked with a laugh.

Kathy gave me a small smile. Jenny chuckled. “Sandra will keep you company,” Kathy said.

“Ha, we’re just friends,” I said.

Jenny laughed. “Well, that can change.”

“No, I don’t think so. We’ve known each other for a while now.”

“Sounds as if you’re going to have a good time with Ron, the little king, and Sandra teasing you,” Jenny said.

“I’ll be too busy to notice. I have to get ready for my final test.”

I felt a hand on my shoulder. “That’s you—work, work, work. You never stop,” Sandra said, leaning over me and giving me a kiss on the neck. She smelled of booze. She slid onto my lap. “Ready to go and packed up. I saw your stuff on the shuttle.” She reached over and took my drink and then drained my glass. She turned to me and scowled. “What drink is that? How am I supposed to get shit-faced drunk on pop?” She waved a server over. “Whiskey, straight, no ice.”

“Don’t you think you’ve had enough?” Jenny asked.

The server came back with Sandra’s drink. Kathy and Jenny looked shocked by Sandra’s behavior and were quiet. I took a sip from her glass. What the hell? I wasn’t going to get the sendoff I’d hoped for now.

Sandra took her drink back and slugged it down. “Good.” She ran her hand across my face. “We’re going to be just fine, you and I.” She gave me a kiss. “See you tomorrow. Sleep well.” I watched her go. No one said a word until she was gone.

It was quiet. We were in shock. Kathy waved over the server. “Whiskey, please.” She glanced at Jenny and me. “Three double shots. No ice.”

After the server left, I said, “What the hell?”

“Just friends,” Jenny said.

“Drake,” Kathy said. She shook her head.

“She’s just drunk. She’ll be fine in the morning.”

“Maybe,” Kathy said, taking a sip of her whiskey once it arrived.

Jenny giggled. “Wow, six months. Good luck.”

“Jenny, Kathy, I have to go. Tomorrow will be a long day. I’ll need to be sharp.”

Kathy stood and gave me a hug, then Jenny joined her. I could have stayed in their arms forever.

As I walked to my dorm, I had to wonder if I was missing something about Sandra. Were we just friends, or was their more to our relationship? She kept doing things like tonight that would floor me and leave me wondering, then other times she acted as if she hated me? Go figure.