The Stars Came Back (24 page)

Helton: I, uh, well…

Harbin walks in with a mug of coffee and sits down as they talk.

Bipasha: How much fuel will this take for daily space operations, and what kinds?

Helton: Stenson said that he’d have a better handle on that once the main generators are online.

Bipasha: Laundry? Detergent or recoverable enzyme?

Helton: Ah, I…

Bipasha: Carbon Recovery Unit? Full
regenerative scrubbing, TDP and manufacture, or just a simple chem-scrubbing system?

Helton
looks at her in mute admission of lack of any detailed knowledge on the topic.

Bipasha: Good
God
! Not only do you not know what you need, you really don’t even know what you
have
. And
how
, exactly, do you expect to make money, with no idea of costs
or
services you can provide?

Helton looks back at her stare with a
n apologetic expression and a shrug.

Harbin: You
said
you wanted excitement and decision making.

Helton and Bipasha both glare at him.

Helton: If all you are going to do is talk down my ship, I’m not so sure I want to hire you.

Bipasha: If all you can see is light and roses, I’m going to
prove you
wrong
.

Harbin: Well. I’m glad to see you two getting along so well. I think I’ll go check on something urgent while you two hash out the details.

Harbin stands up and heads for the hatchway. Arms crossed and body language defensive, they glare at his back, then at each other.

FADE TO BLACK

Four Rules

F
ADE IN

INT -
DAY - Cargo bay

CPL Kaminski
sits on the cargo deck cleaning his rifle with a dozen recruits around him doing the same. Quinn watches from the side with fascination.

Quinn: Can you teach me to shoot, Mr
. Ski?

Kaminski: Sure. When you are a little bit older.

Quinn: But I can pick up a gun now.

Kaminski: There’s more to shooting than just picking it up, you know.

Quinn: I know. You have to aim, too.

Kaminski:
That
is
important, but you have to know what
not
to do as well.

Quinn: L
ike when you yell at them to not point it at you on accident?

Kaminski: Yes!
Exactly like that.

Quinn: Please?

Kaminski: Tell you what. If Allonia says OK and is willing to join us, I’ll see if I can find a good time for a little one-on-two training, and let you take a few shots if you prove you’re safe. How ‘bout that?

Quinn: SHINY!

Quinn jumps up, and runs off.

Darch: That
’s
one
way to get some one-on-one time with the cutest bed-warmer on board! I’d let her handle
my
gun
any
time!

Kaminski: Put a sock in it, recruit.

Darch: Besides, girls don’t need to know how to fight like
real
men.

Horkle: How would
you
know?

Kaminski: You have a
lot
to learn about people. And you’d best watch what you say about her.

Darch: Even if you’re pulling rank for off-duty fun?

Kaminski: Unless you want a
lot
of pushups…

Darch: OK, OK, shutting up already.

DISSOLVE TO

EXT - EVENING - Target range

Two
silhouette targets 3 meters apart stand at the foot of the berm. CPL Kaminski faces Allonia, who is standing casually dressed in comfy, layered, protective clothes, and Quinn, in Allonia’s homemade uniform, standing at his version of parade rest.

Kaminski: OK. Rules again?

Allonia: Finger off the trigger-

Quinn: (
Making a gun shape with his hands) Until you are ready to shoot! Pew-pew!

Allonia: Point it in a safe direction-

Quinn: Like a bad guy! Pew-pew-pew!

Allonia: Unloaded until you are ready to use it-

Kaminski: (Cutting off Quinn, firmly) This is serious. Play it straight or you don’t get to shoot. Clear?

Quinn:
…What if you don’t know you are going to need it all of a sudden, Mr. Ski?

Kaminski: …Great question! For
you, because you won’t be carrying for self defense or going on patrol for a few more years yet, the answer is only on the range firing line when a Range Officer is present; that’ll be me for now. It’s a little more complicated for me, but I have the practice. So I usually carry mine with a magazine in, but no round in the chamber, at least around here; it’s a low threat environment. So, straight up, together, like on the drive over.

T
ogether, with Kaminski counting on his fingers, they chant:

             
Allonia and Quinn: Keep your finger off the trigger until you are ready to shoot. Keep it pointed in a safe direction. Keep it unloaded until you are ready to shoot. Know your target, and what is behind your target.

Kaminski: Perfect. Now, you’ll need practice so you truly understand what those really mean, but
that’s a good start. We don’t have a lot of time before the sun goes down, so just the basics. Do you want the 6.5mm rifle first, the carbine, or the 10mm pistol?

DISSOLVE TO

S
eries of scenes

●  Allonia wearing eye protection, aiming a suppressed carbine. Kaminski adjusts her grip and points to her trigger finger, gently reminding her to keep it off the trigger.

● 
Kaminski getting Allonia aiming the pistol in a proper isosceles-stance shooting position, bent knees, slightly crouching. He gently pushes an elbow here, a knee there, taps her foot a bit with his to get it in just the right spot, models getting her head down low over the sights.

● 
Quinn, wearing eye protection and ear plugs awkwardly holds the carbine with Kaminski supporting it, squeezing off a single shot. Quinn looking up at Allonia with a great big smile on his face.

● 
Camera angle from slightly above and behind a target, the three people blurry in the background, with a rapid series of holes appear in a group, centered on the target, about an two inches across, then focus shifts to the people and Kaminski is seen aiming the pistol, demonstrating proper technique.

● 
Same behind target angle as another group of holes appear, somewhat slower and larger than Kaminski’s group, and the focus shifts to reveal Allonia shooting the pistol.

● 
Same behind target angle, three widely spaced but on target holes slowly appear, and when focus shifts Quinn is barely holding the carbine by himself, with Kaminski beside him, and Allonia behind with a grin. Quinn turns a bit with a huge smile to Allonia, and Kaminski gently corrects the resulting muzzle swing back onto the target.

● 
Fresh target in the stand. A pattern of a dozen buckshot-sized holes appears in it, accompanied by a deep boom, then the sound of a shotgun slide being racked, another dozen close-spaced holes appear with another boom, the slide is worked again, and then a third set of a dozen holes. Focus returns to the firing line, and Allonia is aiming a pump shotgun on the target, slightly crouching in a stance for good balance. She racks the slide to the rear, lowers it, holds it up appreciatively, and looks at the gun and target with a nod and expression of satisfaction and appreciation. Kaminski has a good laugh and claps her on the shoulder, pleased with her performance.

DISSOLVE TO

INT -
NIGHT - Quinn’s cubby aboard the
Tajemnica

He is mounting a target with five holes (widely spaced, but one in the 10
ring) on the wall of his cubbyhole, then sitting back and looking at it proudly.

Ship AI: (OC, friendly female voice) Very good! With practice, you
’ll be doing better than most of the recruits. Now, how about you tell
me
the story of the Battle of Marathon, so I know you have the story right?

Quinn: OK. A
really
long time ago, the Athenians and the Persians…

FADE TO BLACK

Mail

FADE IN

DAY - INT -
Cargo bay

Helton
at work, leaning into a panel on the bulkhead. He stands up straight as Allonia walks up, hands him a package. In her other hand she’s got a strap around a bundle of boxes to make carrying them easier.

Allonia: Mail call.

Helton looks the package over, sees the Possenti Cross next to the simple return address of “Monastery, Eridani IIA.” He unseals it. Inside is a simple but elegant wooden box and a plain handwritten note. On the box top is carved, in neat calligraphic lettering, “Lost Soul.”

INSET - Note reads “Was informed you needed these more than I - Father L”

Allonia looks curiously as he slides the top back. Inside, nestled into a form fitted, cloth-lined spaced, are three reddish crystals that look like those from Father Libra’s desk.

Allonia: What are those?

Helton: Huh… crystals of some sort, I think. Odd…

Allonia: (
Indicating the note) What’s it mean?

Helton: Dunno. (
Shrug) Just one more mystery of the Monks, I guess. Must think I’m a lost soul.

Allonia: (
Joking) Kind of late to the party, but they’re welcome to join.

Helton: Now
there’s
a picture.

Allonia: Inviting Monks to a party? Not normally my first choice, but if they can dance to the tune being played, I doubt God would frown too hard.

DISSOLVE TO

DAY - INT -
Tajemnica
Galley

Kwon and his wife,
Seraphina, are discussing menus while working on sandwiches.

Kwon:
Sar, we can’t make the posole because we don’t have the red chilies, and-

Sar:
But we
do
have the jalapenos, so if we-

Allonia walks in on the disagreement, carrying the boxes.

Allonia: (With a joking smile) Meal Salvation delivery!

Allonia hands the bundle of packages to Kwon casually.

Kwon: Ah, my spices at
last
! Thank you!
Now
we can- UGH!

He n
early drops them, looks at Allonia briefly in surprise. They are much heavier than they look.

Kwon:
-can make the posole properly! Hard to believe I only sent Helton out to get them a month ago.

Sar: Ah, thanks dear. Would you be so kind as to get John for me? We have to
finish this and that nice Mr. Kaminski said he was busy and couldn’t help get the washer working again.

Allonia: It’s CORPORAL Kaminski, Sar. Sure, I’d be
happy to find John. Smells good. I’ll be back later if you need a hand. A few more things to deliver.

DISSOLVE TO

DAY - INT - Allonia’s cabin

She holds up a piece of dark blue fabric. Then she holds up a piece of dark red, black, and gold brocade cloth to look at the rich material in the light.

Allonia: (
Talking to herself) So, how shall we do this? Hmmmm…

She turns it this way and that in the light for a moment, looking thoughtful.

FADE TO BLACK

Family

FADE IN

INT - N
IGHT - Officers’ Mess

Helton, Lag, Harbin, Allonia, and Sar sit around the table, chatting
, having just sat down to dinner.

Lag: The limits on the zone got extended past New Ranchi. Lots of people moving around down there.

Sar: I heard some of the ladies in town saying that they are having a hard time contacting relatives in Korba. Something about jamming?

Helton: I’d think a bigger worry is hacking. Losing touch with a cousin is less of a problem than crashing air traffic, or losing electronic medical support at a hospital.

Harbin: Maybe a crashed flier makes the news, but a large number of refugees pose problems for everyone: government, military, even safe civilians in the path of refugee movement.