“Tell me Ensign, would you like a job as a lumber jack? Long hours, hard labor, and physical danger, but the fresh air is just wonderful down here. Why you could build your own cabin--”
The frozen Ensign jerked to life, “HangonsirI’llgettheCaptain.”
The hold symbol appeared, and Wills turned to Falmann, “He didn’t let me get to the part about all the pretty girls we have that are looking for handsome young men like him.”
Falmann looked thoughtful, “I don’t believe we have enough prison space for the entire crew of a cruise ship.”
“Eh . . . they don’t know that.”
His gaze shifted to the door that had just been pushed open. Lieutenant Easton Hayes, followed by Command Master Sergeant Stephanie Hayes, and Captain Essex Trillmann--the Marine detachment commander--marched to the desk in what Wills noticed was perfect cadence and step. He stood and returned the group salute, not quite believing what he was looking at.
“Lieutenant Hayes.”
“Sir!”
“It is ten a.m. in the middle of the week and you are wearing a formal dress uniform and white gloves.”
Lieutenant Hayes was nearly as tall as the Admiral with gray eyes and brown, wavy hair. His well-tailored uniform made clear the long workout sessions that he engaged in while alone on Forest patrol in the Santana.
“Don’t get me wrong, Lieutenant, I like seeing my people sharply dressed; it’s just that . . . this seems to be a bit over the top. Would you, please, tell me the reason?”
“Sir, I was attending a garden party and tea given by the Ladies Auxiliary of the Archer Founders Club.”
Wills knew his eyebrows had gone up. He shifted his gaze to Sergeant Hayes, “Really, Master Sergeant, you found him at a garden party? Was he actually drinking tea?”
Stephanie Hayes gave Wills a bemused look, “Yes, sir, we did, and yes, sir, he was.”
“Lieutenant Hayes.”
“Sir!”
“When this is all over, I would like to meet this lady friend of yours. I expect she will be very impressive.”
“Yes, sir, she is.”
“As for now, Lieutenant, I regret that your normal month on/month off duty schedule is disrupted, but the Santana is being prepped for liftoff, and I need you heading back there as soon as it is ready. You will return to Forest with two passengers, Doctors Jonathon Ames and Gladys Twisst. They are in charge of dealing with the Foresters; until I arrive, you are in command of all flight operations of all ships in the Forest system. You will land on the open field at the edge of their central town as previously planned. Make sure you land at the edge of the field; the Streak will land there as will shuttles from the Winslow, Pugnacious, and Gregory Falls. The Weasel will land on the rocky area a kilometer south of you.”
It was Lieutenant Hayes’ turn to look surprised, “The Weasel, sir? I didn’t know it was ready. Who do we have that can fly it?”
“It was before your time, but Commander Copeland was first officer and pilot of the Weasel when it arrived, and, by some sort of stroke of mystical intervention, it seems we have caught rebuild operations during a lull in major--”
“WHO THE GOD-DAMNED HELL DO YOU THINK YOU ARE THREATENING TO DESTROY MY SHIP?”
Everyone jumped as Captain Weathers opened both ends of an airlock on Wills.
“Excuse me; I believe this is for me.”
Wills returned to the chair and smiled at the red-faced Captain, “No, no Captain Weathers, I wouldn’t destroy your ship, just carve off a couple of pieces.”
“YOU’RE INSANE, REYNOLDS.”
“Actually, Captain, you are the one that is refusing to accept reality. I am the Military System Commander under direct orders from the Terran Government. I have full authority to commandeer any and all resources within my jurisdiction. I need your ship, and if you refuse to cooperate, I will have an armed Marine squad placing breaching charges on your airlock in . . . ”
Wills turned and made an inquiring face at Captain Trillmann.”
The Captain caught his question, thought for a moment, “Twenty-five minutes, sir.”
“. . . twenty-five minutes.” He leaned closer to the pickup and dropped into ‘I’m your friend’ mode, “But let’s not look at this situation from a strictly negative point of view; sure, there are going to be inconveniences, and schedules are going to be disrupted for awhile, but think of the up-side. You have the opportunity to command a ship, one of only seven that participates in the rescue of part of the only known intelligent life form that humanity has ever found. Vids will be made of it, and ‘Captain Stewart Weathers’ will be known throughout human space. Why, I wouldn’t be surprised if you were immediately promoted to Commodore and given a sector command.
“Come on, this thing either comes out good for you or bad for you. I have people already working on taking care of your passengers, and, you have to admit, Archer isn’t a bad place to be stranded. In fact, there is a winery dedication in three days that I will not be able to attend now, but I can arrange for your passengers to be there and get properly toasted.”
Captain Weathers had calmed noticeably and gave the impression of thinking about it, “Alright, Admiral, you make a good, if heavy handed, case. I will begin transferring my passengers to the ground. Is there anything else I need to know?”
“Yes, Captain, remove any extra crew members that will not be needed.
