Chapter 15

Chapter 15

 

Wayne was held in a cell, and Alex was kept on a short leash. Alex gave the DNE the location and orbital period of the scout, and was working with Bruce to plan what would be required to regain the small ship.

“The rescue ship from the transfer station does have the range to do the job,” Bruce said.

“How will you cover your tracks from the satellites?”

“A training mission perhaps.”

“It may be a long mission. The ride out is a known, we can do a jump, and do a reverse jump at once, but we will likely have to maneuver back to the rescue shuttle; could be days.”

“Do you have a better idea?”

“The only way to beat the satellites is to not travel where they are looking; a polar launch. The satellites ring is equatorial.”

“Let me check into if that is even possible.”

 

Ten minutes later Bruce returns to the small office that Alex was locked into.

“We are in luck; it seems the labor reformers are planning to sabotage a heavy lifter that is being overhauled.”

“I don’t understand?”

“That is how we often operate; The DNE takes the lifter, the labor reformers take the blame.”

“So the labor reformers are just hype?”

“No, they really exist. I used to be one. The DNE recruits the best of them”

“Oh.”

“We also have a specially outfitted shuttle, built to fit in a heavy lifter in DNE storage”

“Just happened to have one in storage, eh.”

“For just such an occasion as this.”

The DNE pulled off a miracle; in a mere three weeks, it stole a heavy lifter, outfitted it with the shuttle it would carry into orbit, and had Alex and Bruce on their way to take the old scout ship for a spin. Bruce looked white as a ghost while suiting up for the EVA to the scout.

“First time in space?” asks Alex.

“No, I had the training on the transfer station when I became an agent for the DNE.”

“Then what’s the matter?”

“I don’t care for zero G, and the thought of leaving the shuttle to drift across…”

“I have a lot of experience with the jet packs. Just tether yourself to me, and we will be fine.”

“I’m going to kill Tom Thrush if I make it back.”

Alex chuckled and said “You’ll be fine.”Alex closed up his face plate, and made his way to the airlock. Bruce reluctantly follows, a holo camera thrust into his hands by the shuttle crew.

“Good luck sir.” They said, with a slap on his back.

The two stepped into the airlock, Alex holding the coiled tether that connects the men and the shuttle crewmen closed the door.

When the outer door opened, Alex stepped out, switched off his boots and with a little jump, began to drift away from the shuttle. Bruce stepped to the edge of the door, and just froze. The tether went taunt, spinning Alex around.

“Come on Bruce.”

“I, I can’t!”

“Okay, look at your wrist pad.”

“Yeah.”

“Switch off the mag boots.”

Bruce switched off the boots.

“See, not so bad,” Alex said.

“Uhhh.”

Alex grabbed his wrist controls, and fires a short burst.

“Oh god, I’m falling!”

“Just close your eyes.”

“I can’t, oh god, I can’t reach the shuttle!”

“Easy now, take a deep breath.”

“I’m falling!”

Alex fired the jets again, starting them on their way to the scout.

“Oh shit!” Bruce screams, hyper ventilating.

“Can you see the scout?”

“Yeah, I’m falling towards it.”

“Focus on it.”

The two men slowly close with the scout. Alex rotates himself, so he is facing the ship, and positions himself so his feet will land first. A Second before he hit, he switched on his boots, and then absorbs the landing with his legs.

“I’m down”

Alex takes several steps to the edge of the airlock, and whips the tether around the door handle.

“Uff!” Bruce exclaimed, after bouncing off the side of the ship.

“I’m falling away!”

“It’s okay, turn your boots back on.”

The tether went taunt, and Alex slowly pulled Bruce to the airlock, guiding him inside.

“Get your feet on the floor,” Alex called to him.

It took Bruce twenty three seconds to orientate himself, but did finally get his mag boots to the floor.

“See, that wasn’t so bad.”

“Oh sure, piece of cake.”

Alex joins him in the air lock, and unwinds the tether from the door handle, and then closed the door. Alex reached down, and opened the valve; the ships air fills the airlock.

“Welcome aboard my lovely antique,” Alex said after opening his face plate.

Bruce opens his faceplate as Alex opens the inner door.

“I can see my breath.”

“Let me get the lights, and turn up the heat.”

“The scout is smaller than the shuttle we rode out in.”

“Yup, not very big at all,” Alex says while moving forward.

Alex starts up all the needed systems.

“I need the little jump computer you brought.”

“Oh, yeah, here ya go,” he said as he hands Alex the palm sized replacement computer.

Alex connected it where the old one used to be. Then he pulled the film from the tape on the back of the little computer, he stuck it to the wall.

“Shouldn’t you be filming all this?”

“Oh yeah, I forgot.”

Bruce pulls up the little laser camera, and starts to shoot.

“After we get our jumps out of the way, I’ll give you the full tour. Is a jump to the gas giant enough proof?”

“I guess so.”

 

A little under an hour later, Alex contacts the shuttle, radio set to one quarter watt, to let them know they were about to jump. Alex walks back, and gets Bruce secured in the sleeping area.

“Close your face plate, this sucker is noisy.”

Alex straps into the pilots seat, and commences the jump.

 

Twang  LURCH.

 

The gas giant looms before Alex.

“Come on up and have a look. It’s rather beautiful”

Bruce walks up, to look over Alex’s shoulder, and lets out a whistle.

After a minute, Alex rotates the ship one eighty for the jump back.

“Man, this new computer of yours is fast. We would still be sitting by the shuttle calculating the first jump with the old one. Head to the back and strap in.”

“Okay.”

Twang  LURCH.

 

Alex switched on the survey gear to look for the shuttle, and transmitted a low power greeting. During the four hour flight back to the shuttle, Alex gave a full tour of the aft engineering area. Once the scout was secure, Bruce holo-filmed the jump coil; all of it.

Alex took a small sample, scraping the j-coil for metallurgical analysis. After that, Alex (and Bruce, kicking and screaming) returned to the shuttle. Then the shuttle made planet fall. They were given a hero’s welcome upon entry to the DNE. Every one it seemed was there, shouting and cheering. Alex was glad he still had his suit on, all the slapping on his back would have hurt otherwise. The party went on for several hours, before Alex was finally allowed to retire for the night, and get out of his space suit. He walked back to his cell, closed the door, and fell into bed; asleep before his head hit the pillow.

 

“Wake up Mr. Chissel. The council wants to see you right away.”

“How about a shower and a little breakfast first?”

“I can get you the breakfast. Did you know you didn’t have to sleep here last night?”

“Really? No one told me. I was just dead tired last night.”

“Miss Lockclear will be here to meet you in ten minutes,” said the jailer.

Alex arose, relieved himself and started washing himself in the sink. The Jailer returned, crappy looking breakfast on his tray.

“Has Wayne been freed?”

“I’ll get him taken care of right now. I hope there are no hard feelings, and welcome aboard the DNE.”

Grabbing a paper towel, Alex sat on the cot, and ate his breakfast. Moments later, there was a knock at his open door.

“Mr. Chissel, are you ready to go?”

Alex looked up from his luke-warm meal as Miss Lockclear entered his cell. She looked to be twenty years old, 5 foot 5, slender build, and in the short skirt she was wearing, showing long well toned legs. Her skin was blemish free, her smile showing perfect bright white teeth, and medium length blonde hair styled to frame her beautiful face flawlessly. His eyes lingered a moment on her white blouse, made to show more cleavage than he thought she really had.

“I don’t think you’re fully awake yet.”

Alex realized he had been staring, and shot his eyes to her high heel shoes.

“What is that you’re eating? God, it looks like yesterdays breakfast reheated.”

“I think it is,” Alex replies.

“Leave it, I will show you to the council chambers, and fetch you a decent meal.”

“Sounds good to me.”

The council chambers were the nicest room Alex had ever seen.

All six council members are present. Alex only recognizes two of the men; former governor Sather, and councilmen Hamel.

“Welcome Mr. Chissel. Please, take a seat,” said councilmen Hamel.

Alex takes a seat at an open table.

“How is the man of the century?” Asks Sather.

“I am well sir.”

“Tell me, if you were in our shoes, what would you do?” Asked councilmen Hamel.

“I hadn’t thought about it. I suppose I would look for a better world to colonize.”

Hamel lets out a snort of disgust, shaking his head.

“The DNE is shifting into high gear, and every department head wants you to consult with them. We need to achieve high efficiency with your time, so we have brought you here first,” said Sather.

“Is your little scout ship up to the task of a near dirt flyby, and the return trip?” asks councilman Hamel.

“I assume you mean doing so undetected?”

“Of course.”

“No. It has a thermal signature of a super nova, and while it is small, it has flat surfaces that would provide any radar a clear bounce.”

“In your opinion then, you would not recommend its use.”

“I ran a small risk just bringing it here, and in proving the jump tech to you.”

“But you kept it outside the spy satellite ring!” Sather exclaimed.

“True, but since the Lucky Dragon incident, Space Corps keeps a frigate in system to monitor them. There is a chance that they could have picked up the scout with their ships detection equipment; it’s unlikely, at the range they usually operate at, but a chance. In Dirt space, there will be ships, shuttles and stations in close proximity.”

“We have to build a new ship, I told you..” a councilman that Alex has not been introduced to yet said.

“Yes! Yes, you were right Michael.” Gripes councilman Hamel.

The councilmen started to argue, when Miss Lockclear entered the chambers, carrying a silver serving platter. She placed it in front of Alex, and lifter the cover off. The aroma made Alex drool.

“I didn’t know what you liked, so I brought sausage and eggs, toast and a side of fresh fruit.”

Alex was floored. A meal like this must cost a fortune here on stink hole.

“How do you like you’re coffee?” she asked with a small grin.

“Hot,” was all Alex could make himself say.

“Miss Lockclear, please show Mr. Chissel to his new quarters when he has finished eating. And pick him up some new clothes.”

“Yes Mr. Sather.”

“Chissel, meet us at the CAD unit at your earliest convenience.”

As Alex was chewing his food, he just nodded yes.

The councilmen exit the room, arguing the entire time.

The silence of the room was in sharp contrast the loud arguing of men who had just left.

Miss Lockclear set a hot cup of coffee in front of him.

“I don’t suppose you know your shirt and pant size?”

 

By the time Alex arrived with Miss Lockclear to the design unit, they had already laid out a considerable amount of the ship. They kept the new ship to the same basic dimensions as the scout, only the sides were all curved.

“Bout time Chissel.” Hamel said.

“We need to pick your brain on how Space Corps deals with heat dissipation,” said one of the techs.

“The ship keeps water in the hull, and pumps it to through the rear, where it radiates to space. The theory being only a small field of view could see the ships heat. The same view that would pick up the main thruster’s heat signature anyway.”

“We can do that, piece of cake.” Said the tech.

“How long until the design is done?” asks an impatient councilman Hamel.

“A lot of this will be off the shelf parts, so a few days I think. The tricky part will be the power reactor fitting into our already established ship size.”

“I have bad news in that department,” interjected a second tech. “Even our smallest standard unit is too large to fit. We will have to design and build a custom unit.”

“And how long will that take?” Hamel demands.

“Another day or two.”

“As soon as you have something finalized, send it off the machine shop so they can get started.”

“Gentlemen, I suggest we return to chambers, we have much to plan. Miss Lockclear, with us please,” Sather said.

 

Every day, Alex’s advice was wanted by the people working on detection gear, space weapon design, and the materials department. Alex was amazed at the speed in which the new ship was taking shape. Fights almost broke out between the design team and the machine shop every time a revision would scrap an in process piece, and Councilman Hamel threw a tantrum every time extra materials were needed to replace the scrapped piece. Wayne was in high demand also; software and equipment was being developed for space flight simulators.

 

Alex sought out the men who programmed the lucky dragon’s last trip, and got a copy of the actual code they used. In his off time, he set up a navigation program to plot the dragon’s current position. It was in talking with them that Alex learned the fate of the Dragon’s crew. They had not been killed, but had been sent to the surface to work in the prison factory, each filling in for a DNE member. The prison factory met their production quotas by forcing each prisoner’s to produce 110 percent the stated quota. In this way, all ‘Living’ full time DNE members were accounted for. The ‘Dead’ DNE members, like Tom Thrush for example, didn’t need to have their work output covered, but their food and air consumption had to be hidden from the AMC bean counters.

 

As the new ship was nearing completion, Alex approached the council with a question.

“Why isn’t anyone working on improving the jump software?”

“Do you know what the best way to catch up on a competitor’s fifty year technical advantage?” Councilman Hamel said.

Alex thought about it for a minute. Reverse engineering wouldn’t work, as Space Corps design made it impossible.

“No sir.”

“Espionage. You steal all their research data.”

“I hadn’t thought of that sir.”

 “Chissel, you truly are a boy scout, aren’t you.”

“Sorry to have bothered you sirs.”

Suddenly Alex understood the mission for their new ship.

 

In less than three months, the new jump ship was sitting atop the modified launch plane, like the ones used on Dirt. All the planes parts, except for the engines had been ‘destroyed’ in massive work reformers bombing of the warehouse in which they were stored.

At the same time, an entire underground mini-airport with a runway had been carved from the rock, hidden from spying orbital eyes. The modified launch plane made several checkout flights, once the runway was open. The last of which it carried a mockup of the new jump ship on the top. It passed all tests.

 

A day before the first scheduled test flight of the new jump ship, the council called a mission planning meeting.

“We are moving the mission to Dirt up. There will be no test flights of the jump ship,” said councilman Hamel.

“But we don’t even know if the jump coil will work,” Exclaimed Alex.

“The council is concerned about news of work here getting out. Time is something we can’t afford to waste. If the jump ship fails, we will have to use the old scout,” Councilman Sather said.

“We will be inserting two re-entry pods. These will look like meteorites entering the atmosphere, and should be ignored. Once on the ground our two agents will infiltrate the Space Corps mainframe, and send us the data we need,” said councilman Hamel.

“If all goes well, they will also conduct sabotage when the time comes,” said Sather.

“How are they going to get past Space Corps security?” Alex asks.

“Guess who makes their security cards, scanners, and their main frame?” Hamel said.

“We do?” Wayne guesses.

“Bingo!”

“We should have a back door into their most sensitive data.” Sather said with a grin,

“And we want you two to operate the ship, and make the drop to Dirt.”

Alex and Wayne look at each other.

“I’m in,” Alex said.

“Hell ya, me too,” Wayne said.

 

Alex sought out Bruce Cuennen, an hour after the meeting, but instead found Tom Thrush in the office.

“Is Bruce here?” Alex asks.

Tom looks up from the file he was reading. “Just because you have been accepted into the DNE, don’t think that I have forgotten or forgiven you for what you did to my SMUT team.”

“I did what I had to do at the time.”

“Like that makes it okay?” Hisses Tom

“How many marines did you personally kill aboard the Lucky Dragon?”

“Just one; what the fuck does that matter?”

“What had he ever done to you?”

“Nothing, he was between my team and our objective.”

“So you did what you had to do. Sound familiar?”

“There are the oppressors, and the oppressed. He was morally on the wrong side, just like you were. That’s the difference. Now get out of my office before I put a 12mm between your eyes.”