“I think that will be acceptable, Commodore.”
“I only have one pilot who is truly comfortable flying your equipment. It will take a few minutes to get him here. He is a close friend of mine, and I would take it as a personal affront, if anything were to happen to him, understood?”
“Yes, Commodore, I understand completely. None of us have a desire to see you angry, let me assure you.”
Snappi got on his comm, to make sure the arrangement we had worked out would be satisfactory. I called Charlie. “Hey, Uncle Commodore, how are you doing? You coming to supper any time soon?”
“I just don’t know about that, Charlie. Right now I’m up to my neck in Squirrels. Maybe if I can get them on their way, I’ll have time to come by. How are you liking your motorsickle?”
“I like it just fine. Grandpa says another few months, and he’ll ask you to have the bots build me one with more power.”
“You’re talking Ozzie’s language, now. I need a favor, if you’re not too busy.”
“Nothing here that won’t wait. What can I do for you, Uncle?”
“I need a pilot experienced at flying Squirrel ships. You know anybody?”
“Sure do. How soon?”
“As soon as you can get your skinny butt up here.”
“Be there in a few minutes. Bye.”
“Bye, Charlie.” Nikki asked, “Do you think he will be able to fly something so big?”
“This is Charlie we’re talking about. You really want to bet against him?”
She thought a minute. “No, I don’t suppose that I do. He gets things done, doesn’t he?”
“That he does. I just hope he can show Gus how it’s done, when the time comes.”
“What about you, Caveman?”
“He ain’t going to listen to his Pop, not after he’s eight or so. Gonna need somebody else to show him the ropes.” Snappi finished talking to his people. He said, “They like that plan, how soon can your man be here?”
“Shouldn’t be that long, considering who taught him to fly. He seemed excited about the prospect, so he won’t waste any time getting here.” As I finished speaking, a saucer emerged from FTL not too far from the ship, and eased in to dock, not far from where we were standing. I said, “I think that’s him now.” Sure enough, the hatch opened, and Charlie came running out. I got the flying hug. “Howdy, Uncle Bob.”
“Hey, Charlie. Slick landing, Morning Flower taught you well.”
“She says I can fly fighters, as soon as Grandpa says it’s alright.”
Snappi said, “He’s a child. Are you sure he’s a good pilot?”
I replied, “You just saw him bring in that saucer, what do you think?”
“I think I’m an idiot. Can you tell me why he’s the best pilot for the job?”
Charlie said, “I’m the one who is small enough to fit your control stations. We’re already training Leelee, for when I get my growth spurt, in a year or two.”
I said, “Lordy, how you kids grow up. I remember when it was about all she could do to put a saucer on remote, so Nikki could bring it in.”
“Her Grandma still gets misty-eyed when somebody brings that up.”
Snappi asked, “Brings what up?”
Nikki said, “We had to rescue Leelee and her Grandma. Someone poisoned Ginny, and she wasn’t able to fly. She hit the controls when she fell, and knocked the saucer into a tumble. The only way to get them aboard our ship so we could help Ginny was for Leelee to put the saucer on remote, so that I could fly it aboard the freighter.”
Snappi replied, “You folks always make these things sound so routine. ‘I woke up, had my coffee, and went and saved some lives.’, like it was no big deal.”
I said, “Well, it isn’t, if I get my coffee before I have to go out.” Nikki giggled, “He’s right, you know. He’s just not at his best if he has to rescue someone before he gets his coffee.”
Snappi said, “Now I think you are having fun at my expense.”
I replied, “Not at all. The comedy is free, and worth every penny. You only pay if we have to rescue you.”
“Now I see why my Uncle likes doing business with you, Commodore. Is your pilot ready?”
Looking at Snappi’s ship, Charlie asked “Do I get to fly this beauty?”
I replied, “Nope, sorry. Those big fellas outside.”
“Oh well. Where do they need to go?”
“There’s a Squirrel fleet out about a light-year, waiting on them. You get to ferry them out, and get hauled back on a freighter, and do it all over again.”
He studied on that for a minute, and said, “They don’t want to come in and get them, because they’re afraid you’ll capture them, too?”
“That’s the way I heard it.”
“No offense, Uncle Bob, but I get the feeling there’s something you haven’t told me yet.”
“Prisoners, and lots of them. The Marines are aboard to keep them under control, but you are hauling a bunch of folks who don’t much like us.”
“That’s why I’m coming back on a freighter, and not just taking a saucer with me. Now it makes sense.”
Snappi said, “He’s sharp, for a kid.”
I said, “He’s sharp, for anybody. Don’t trade with him, unless you’re willing to get an education.”
“If I am to believe my Uncle, that means a lot, coming from you.”
Charlie said, “Gee whiz. Borrow a bicycle to get to the library to use the internet, get ahold of you from the license plate on your truck, and you think I’m some kind of operator. C’mon, Uncle Bob, you didn’t have to blow my chances with the mark from out of town.”
“That’s where you’re wrong, Charlie. I need to be able to do business with this mark. If I
