Running With Argentine (39 page)

7.254
Light Years Distant

The spacer
scratched his arm as he spoke to the station's dock master…

"Spices mostly," he described his load. "I
may need some help getting them offloaded, though."

The dock master guffawed…

"You know the rules. If you want to sell it here you
unload it."

"Yeah, I know… But I've got a couple of my guys down sick.
Come on Bernard, we've been doing business a long time… Cut me some
slack."

"I can ask," he replied. "Maybe I can find a
couple of hands to help you out, but it will cost you the standard rate."

"That's fine, I won't make anything if I can't get this
stuff un... Dammit!" he said as he reached around to scratch the back of
his neck.

"Here, turn around. Let me see that…

"Holy quasar Samuel! You need to have someone check
that – you’ve about scratched yourself raw!"

"Humph, you ought to see my other two guys…

"Yeah, as soon as I get paid for this load we’ll be
looking to hire a doctor. But first I've got to get this stuff out of my holds
and onto your dock."

"Okay, let me go see who I can round up."

As the dock master walked away he barely noticed a small
itch forming around his belt line…

ΔΔΔ

Meanwhile, 13
light years up spiral, Captain James was trying to figure out what the hell was
happening...

He'd just left the lone isolated station orbiting the second
moon of Taurus IV, a gas giant planet whose only value lie in the volatiles
that could be scraped from the atmosphere.

Right up until twenty minutes ago it'd been a standard
trip...

The station's robotic atmosphere skimmers continuously
operated and only returned to the station for maintenance or to unload their
full tanks. Transports like Captain James' rendezvoused with the station on a
regular basis to carry the precious cargo to a number of interstellar
destinations.

They'd quickly finished loading their gaseous cargo – half
of the station’s limited personnel were down sick and the last thing the
captain wanted to do was to transfer it to his crew.

They were twenty minutes outbound from the station when the
emergency signals started coming in…

The person sending the video alarm was totally
unrecognizable; even their gender would forever remain unknown. But the bloody
mess in front of him was obviously in agony – so much agony that not a single
word could be understood.

Every alarm system on the station, structural integrity,
environmental integrity, even imminent collision alerts were sounding and being
broadcast across all bands.

What Captain James would never forget, though, was that just
before the video feed expired, it looked like the bulkhead behind that tortured
and bloodied individual was
melting
.

In
Orbit At Asperia

"You let
her take one of the Roosevelt's shuttles? One of the military ones?"

Argentine nodded.

The chief didn't say anything, but then he didn't have to.

"She said she needed the extra time to get the
scientific group organized."

"We've got a lot of ships to choose from; do you really
think it was smart to give her an armed shuttle?"

"No, not really. But then we've run out of smart
choices…”

The chief was right; there had been other options. The
aerodynamic military shuttles weren’t the only ships they’d discovered in the
Roosevelt's hanger bays.

There were a number of transport shuttles of various sizes,
some of which had landfall capability and some of which were designed purely
for vacuum operations.

They also, of course, carried the Pelican and her shuttle,
as well as an ancient transport with Asperian military markings.

In addition, there were also two, two-passenger flitter-like
ships that were apparently designed to accommodate fully suited pilots - what
they were for was anybody’s guess.

“Those military shuttles have a power curve ratio that's off
the charts. Instead of spiraling in, she can head more or less straight down
the gravity well and make orbit a full twenty-seven hours before we do."

"That's a military approach, Argentine," the chief
said with less judgment in his voice. "It's bound to raise red flags…"

Like I said
, Argentine thought to himself.
We’re
out of smart options
.

ΔΔΔ

The Roosevelt
entered high orbit around Asperia without incident.

Their orbital alignment was such that they maintained direct
shuttle access to platform 12 throughout the majority of each orbit.

Almost immediately upon reaching her parking station, the
Roosevelt disgorged several shuttles to the platform.

It was amazing, Argentine reflected, how much more respect
the system authorities were giving this ship as compared to the Pelican.

He chuckled to himself as he realized that maybe size does
matter after all.

"What's that, Captain?" Sami asked from her
station on the bridge.

"Nothing…"

"Captain," she interrupted. "We have an
incoming video transmission from Port Authority."

"Okay, Sami. Put it on my screen…" he stopped
himself. He was going to have to get used to all the luxuries the ship offered…

"I mean, throw it up on the dome…" he corrected
himself.

The image that appeared was an unknown figure of an obviously
higher rank than the customs agent that had greeted the Pelican…

"People's Republic of Chezden Ship Salamander,"
the figure started. "This is Orbital Security Master Reynolds. Let me be
the first to welcome you to Asperia."

"Hello Master Reynolds. I am Captain Frisbee of the
People's Republic. We are on an extended deployment and hoped to spend a few
weeks on replenishment of stocks and morale. I'm assuming that permission for
shore leave will be granted?"

"Captain, we are, uh…
Aware
of the Republic's
challenges…

"You and your people are, of course, welcome here… But
I'd like to confirm that you only plan on staying a few weeks," he said
pleasantly.

"That is correct," Argentine said, feigning a mild
indignation.

"One other thing, Captain. We weren't aware that the
People's Republic deployed ships as massive as the Salamander?"

"I'm sure there are many things about the People's
Republic that you are unaware of," Argentine responded with what he hoped
was just the right amount of pique.

"No, no, no Captain. Please don't take offense. I am
certain you are correct. I'll have my staff contact your people about the
logistics for your stay. And again… Welcome to Asperia."

Argentine simply nodded, and Sami cut the connection.

"Do you think he bought it?" Barry asked.

"Not a chance," Argentine responded honestly.

ΔΔΔ

"You've
succeeded," announced the altered voice.

"Yes and no," Mandi replied.

She was setting in a darkened room facing a semi-circle of
six desks, or podiums or something… They were all positioned behind a screen so
that only shadowy outlines could be seen.

"Explain," came what was probably an altered
female voice.

"I have the Roosevelt in orbit, but we're not going to
be able to use her as planned."

"Are you reneging on our agreement?" came a third
voice.

"No, it's just that the circumstances have changed. Our
agreement is no longer practical."

"We've misjudged you. I was under the impression that
you were serious about seeing Asperia freed from the growing military
oppression."

"Oh, I was and I am. Except everybody knows that the
military is being controlled by the Secret Societies. So you might say that I'm
just as much anti-secret society as I am anti-military… Present company excepted,
of course."

They were silent, as they always were when she tried to get
them to admit to being a Secret Society themselves…

She sighed.

"I'm going to explain to you what we've learned. And
then you are quickly going to have to make a decision. If you want to survive
you're going to have to trust me and start organizing immediately.

"We don't have an extra five minutes to waste…"

She then went on to explain about the extinction events.

In
Orbit At Asperia

With everything in
motion and everyone having an assignment, Argentine had little to do except sit
in his Captain's Chair and man the watch… Or nervously twiddle his thumbs –
depending on your point of view.

"Captain? This is crewmen Sarah Petulengro at the port
hanger bay…"

"What is it Sarah?" he responded from his seat on
the bridge.

"We have a transport holding station off our port side
waiting for permission to board."

"To board? Don't you mean unload?"

Over the last twelve hours the Roosevelt had been receiving
numerous consignments of cargo… But personnel?

"No, Captain. That's just it. They claim to be one of
the scientific groups selected by their government for an extended tour of our
ship."

From his pilot's station Barry said, "What the
hell?"

Argentine grinned.

"I was wondering how she was going to pull it
off," he replied to Barry.

And then to the intercom, "Okay, Sarah. Play along with
them. Congratulate them on being selected and welcome them aboard. Have someone
assign them to
temporary
quarters and tell them we will be holding an
orientation meeting later tonight."

"Oh, and Sarah… I wouldn't be surprised if we have a
few more transports like this one. So take care of them, okay?"

"Yes sir."

"You know, Captain," Barry commented. "I
still think she's as mad as a bag of ferrets but I have to admit… If she can
hack into a government database and convince a bunch of scientists to drop
everything and board an alien ship within a matter of hours… Well, she's no
prat."

Argentine didn't have to know what a
prat
was to
share in the grudging respect…

"No, Barry. I'm sure she's anything but."

This time it was Sami that broke the silence…

"Captain, you wanted me to monitor the social networks
on the planet…"

"Yes, what have you got?"

"It's nothing major; I don't detect any law enforcement
involvement as of yet… But individuals are starting to hear rumors about
massive system blackouts up spiral. The conspiracy theorists are all over the
message boards."

"Okay, Sami. Stay on top of it."

After a couple of more moments with nothing to do he made a
decision…

"Sami, you have the bridge. I'm going to go back and
welcome our scientists. I've got my comm with me so don't hesitate to give me a
shout."

ΔΔΔ

"What the
hell is going on here?" Argentine exclaimed loudly.

Broadway was the main corridor that ran fore to aft in the
front section of the ship; Main was the extra-wide corridor that ran port to
starboard between the two hanger bay's.

Argentine had just exited one of the lifts onto Main and was
immediately confronted with a large crowd of people…

People that really didn't look like scientists.

As a matter of fact, a whole bunch of them were running and
screaming through the corridor acting their age… Which must have been four or
five years old…?

Many of the adults were loudly talking and gesturing to each
other but, for the most part, they were ignoring him.

After dodging a few more kamikazes, and stepping over a
couple of rugrats, he spied one of the Petulengro clan…

"Ellie," he called out. "Where's Marco?"

"I think he's back that way," she said with the
dazzling kind of smile that only a fourteen-year-old girl could produce.

Since
that way
was the direction of the starboard
hanger deck, Argentine continued on.

Along the way he didn't fail to notice that much of the sea
of humanity that was clogging his deck were carrying sacks and luggage and… Was
that a goat?

When he finally found Marco at least the man had the
temerity to look abashed… But it only lasted for a moment. Before Argentine
could get a complete sentence out, his huge grin was back…

"Captain! In the name of my entire clan I wish to
express our gratitude for your generosity… You are our savior!"

"Marco, I thought we already had your family on board?
Are you trying to tell me that all of these refugees are family?"

"Refugees? Captain, that is very harsh," he said
with a frown. "And family is such an ambiguous term. These are my clan, my
people. And, of course, as the clan leader it is my duty to lead them to
safety. So yes, they are all like family to me."

Argentine had never been a big stickler for the rules, and
he even liked this skinny man, but he was starting to feel his good naturedness
was being abused.

Those feelings must have been apparent on his face…

"No, Captain. Don't worry. Please," Marco said in
a suddenly sincere tone. "My people are hard workers, you will see! They
make excellent crew for your excellent ship."

And then in a tone with just a bit of desperation…

"Really, Captain. You should trust me on this."

As if I really have a choice,
Argentine thought to
himself.

ΔΔΔ

"Captain?
This is Sarah Petulengro again..."

Argentine reached up to touch the comm unit in his ear…

"Go ahead, Sarah. What is it?"

"I hate to bother you with this Captain, but the chief
is busy and…"

"It's okay, Sarah. Just tell me what you need."

"Yes sir… I just need to know what you want me to do
with all these transport ships? I could probably relocate some to the starboard
hanger deck?"

Argentine stopped in his tracks. He knew that the hanger
deck was huge.

" Sarah, you can't possibly be running out of room to
park those shuttles?"

"Oh, no… We can make them all fit if you want me to.
But I think it might be crowded enough to interfere with the way this hanger
bay is normally designed to operate. And Captain… These aren't just shuttles;
some of these transports are pretty big."

Argentine frowned and started looking around for a ladder or
lift to another deck. That would allow him to bypass the flow of humanity
surrounding him…

"Okay, Sarah. I'm on the way. We’ll figure it out when
I get there."

Tapping his comm again he said, "Sami, get me a
connection to Mandi and put me through…"

ΔΔΔ

"I can't raise
her, Captain."

"You mean she's not answering her comm?"

"No," Sami replied. "I mean I'm not even
registering her. Either her comm has been destroyed or…"

"Or she's not on the station," Argentine finished
for her.

"Can you find her on the planet below?"

"It won't be secure – I'll have to access the local
network."

"Do it," he ordered.

Just then he stepped into the operations tower overlooking
the shuttle bay… And gasped.

There were at least twenty new ships parked in some
semblance of order along the side of the bay, and not all of them were shuttles.
Some were much larger than that.

"Captain, I'm glad you're here," Sarah said
politely. "I've got a suggestion that I think will help things quite a
bit, but I need your permission?"

"What is it?" Argentine said, trying to focus on
two things at once.

"The Starboard Hanger Bay Chief says their traffic has
dropped off. If you’d OK it, I'd like to route all cargo shipments there.
That'll relieve a lot of the pressure here and let us dedicate this bay to
transports."

Argentine was more intent on getting in touch with Mandi,
but he realized what Sarah suggested made sense… And then he caught the full
import of what she'd just said…

"You talk like you're expecting more transports?"

"Oh, yeah… There are at least twice as many still on
approach."

Argentine turned to walk out of the operations tower and
stopped himself…

" Sarah, that was good thinking. You're obviously doing
a good job here. Can I ask…? How old are you?"

She tilted her head slightly and looked at him with
curiosity…

"I'm seventeen… Why?"

ΔΔΔ

"You've
got some explaining to do," he said into his comm.

"Well, when a boy and a girl really like each other
sometimes they decide to kiss, and that can lead…"

"Mandi, I'm really not in the mood…"

"Am I supposed to have any idea what it is you want me
to explain to you?" she asked.

In a quiet steady voice Argentine said, "I'm going to
ask you a question and this time I want a straightforward answer…"

Perhaps it was the calmness in his voice, but for whatever
reason Mandi registered his seriousness...

"How many scientists are you bringing aboard my
ship?"

"
Your
ship? I thought it was
our
ship?
I'm just as much a part of…" And then she caught herself. "Wait… I'm
sorry. Old habits, and all that. You wanted a straight answer…

"I don't know the
exact
number, and do you mean
scientists or just people?"

"Mandi," he said warningly.

"I'm trying! But it makes a difference!"

"How… Many?"

"A little over six hundred scientists… And their
families."