“So how do we steal it?” said Jolo.
“Impossible,” said Katy. “It’s in Fed space for crying out loud. In Sol of all places.”
“Yeah, but it doesn’t stay in Sol,” said Koba.
“Computer, pull up the itinerary of the Federation ship Corsair.” A list popped up. Most were planets close to Sol, but there was one entry that stood out.
“It’s going to Iris in two weeks,” said Katy. “Small planet, out of the way, agricultural.”
“Perfect,” said Jolo. “We’ll take her there.”
“How?” said Katy. “They’ll have at least one Defender and a bunch of smaller ships that could put a big hurt on the Jessica. I mean, uh, if we still…” She put her hand on Jolo’s shoulder. “I’m sorry about your ship.”
Jolo sighed. “That ship was never really mine, anyway.” He looked at Katy. “I’ll find a way to get there.” And then he turned to the rest. “This is my fight. You don’t have to come.” But no one moved.
“I think we’re all in,” said Marco. “And I think I gotta fix for your no ship problem.”
……
After the meeting Jolo found George in the atrium.
"We may have found a way to make it all the way to the BG home world," said Jolo. George turned and looked at him, but the usual glimmer in his eye was gone, his head slightly bowed. His one arm resting in his lap.
"You look sad," said Jolo.
"Thank you. Most synthetic life forms do not show feelings, do not have feelings. But I believe I am feeling something. Close to sadness."
"Your arm?"
"I suppose."
"Can't it be, fixed?"
"Yes. But unfortunately those who could fix it, the Velossians, have all been wiped clean from the face of the galaxy."
"You did well. There's something to be said for taking out two BG warriors."
"Thank you, again."
There was a moment of silence and Jolo grabbed two small cherry tomatoes from one of Marcus’s plants. He offered one to George. George held it in his hand in front of his face, tilted his head.
"It is a beautiful thing, and I could pretend to eat it, but it would merely come out the other end, unprocessed. That's not how I recharge." He handed it back to Jolo. "Is it worth it?" said George. Jolo just looked at him and shrugged, not understanding the question. "I mean this quest to find a girl that no one has heard of. Is it worth it?"
"I can't get her out of my mind. The BG have her and I must save her," Jolo said. His hands balled into fists and his back and stiffened. And then he relaxed a little. "Katy says it's love."
"Or something else entirely," said George.
"If we go, are you in?"
"I am but half of my former self."
"Yeah, but still twice as much as any human."
"I will go, and with my one arm, defend Jolo Vargas, my brother." And he bowed deeply.
……
“Okay, here’s how we are gonna do it,” Katy said, spreading out a large detailed drawing of the Corsair’s levels. “I think Jolo and I have worked out a solid plan. The jump drives are located here,” she said, pointing to 5L, the fifth level below main deck.
“That’s all fine and dandy, but how’s that help us get the ship?” said Greeley.
“That’s just it,” said Jolo. “We don’t take the ship, we take the drive. Taking the ship is too risky, the drive is easier.”
“I don’t think so,” said Koba. “That thing weighs a ton. You can’t lift it. Not even George, with both arms.”
“No worries, I’m just a synth, I have no feelings,” said George, slapping Koba on the back just a touch too hard.
“I didn’t mean—” Koba started to say but was cut off.
“We don’t carry it out,” said Jolo. At this point Katy started to grin. She held everyone in suspense, still smiling and nodding her head.
“Well?” said Hurley.
“We let the trash bots do it,” she said, still grinning. “All we gotta do is get a Fed issue trash container around it and the bots will send it right down to 6L here.” She pointed to a spot on the map at the very bottom of the ship towards the rear.
“Just like the bunghole of a yasugo fish like we used to catch back on my homeworld, Hudson,” said Greeley.
“Thank you for the color commentary,” said Katy. “Jolo and I will steal a trash boat from the docks and run right up to the, uh—”
“Bunghole,” said Greeley.
“The trash bay connector,” said Katy. “We sneak in via the first trash run, grab the drive, have the trash bots bring it to the hauler during the refuse transfer.”
“Yeah, but you can’t just pick the drive up and toss it into the trash, it has to be extracted. There’s protocol. It’s connected to the ship’s engineering section, into the ship’s computer, to the engines of course…” said Koba.
“Yeah, he’s right,” said Hurley.
“I can do it,” said Jolo.
“You don’t know how to extract a Fed jump drive,” said Koba.
Computer, Jolo thought. Display Federation manual, search for jump drive removal.
Ship class?
Galaxy class or larger, thought Jolo.
Instantly a detailed list popped into Jolo’s head. He began reading aloud: “First shutdown power to primary grid at base of unit. Primary is offline when indicator light turns red on the forward status screen. Next, remove computer link cable via Fed issue 35mm hex spanner. One clockwise turn while pressing the release jumper will disengage the aft—”
“Okay, okay,” said Koba.
“So, y’all just gonna tell the engineers down there to kindly step aside while y’all jack the drive? I figure me and Betsy might could get in there and help clear the room, so to speak,” said Greeley.
“Betsy?” said Katy.
“Yeah,” said Greeley, rubbing the wooden stock of his sawed-off shotgun, a gift from Marco.
“Yeah, I was thinking you and George, and uh, Betsy, could stir things up on an upper level, say, in the ballroom or the lounge. Draw the security detail
