Metal Boxes (33 page)

He had made the connection quick enough that Wright and Maggot trotted up just as he picked up his controller.

He gestured with his free hand at the front cart. “If the lady and gentleman would climb aboard car number one we can get this train up to speed. Sorry, you are going to have to sit on the deck.” Once the two were aboard he raised their platform up so it was at the same height as the top of his containers. Maggot sat dangling his feet over the side. He offered his hand to Wright and she slid next to him.

Stone toggled the speed. He started slow and built up speed until they were flying along the corridor.

Maggot looked around him and called back to Stone, “This is great. I wonder why we don’t see more people riding these things around.”

“Station’s discourage it
,” Stone said, “because of insurance liabilities or some such nonsense. We will get a lecture on safety if we bump into station security especially going this fast. Trust me, if I have to stop fast none of us will stay up here. We will end up in a crumpled pile on the deck.”

“Nice thought
,” Wright mumbled and glanced between her feet at the deck flowing swiftly beneath them.

“Take the next right
,” Maggot called back to Stone.

“
Aye, aye, signore.”

“Can you guide into an elevator or do we need to dismount?” Maggot asked.

“Elevator?” Stone blew a raspberry. “I can guide into an elevator, up a ramp or even use a null gravity chute. Staying on is a different matter so elevator it is. Which deck are we going to?”

“
Charlie Deck, why?” Maggot asked.

“My
p.a. says we have elevators just ahead.”

Maggot twisted around and glared at Stone. “Did you query the station database to download a map? Because that would put you
r name out there for anyone-”

“Easy,
agent,” Stone said. “I have never been to Tamvor. Neither has the Golden Boulder for all I know. That does not mean the Stone Freight Company doesn’t maintain a database of schematics on every station any of our freighters might visit. I have the database on my p.a.”

“I didn’t see anything like that listed when I was reviewing your
data files,” Maggot said.

“Nor would you, Agent Storovitch
,” Stone replied coldly. “It is none of your business. That is company information.”

“But-”

“Elevators ahead,” Stone said. He spoke a series of numbers into his p.a. The doors slid open before they got there. He slowed his train down slightly and guided it into the elevator. The doors slid shut and the button for Charlie Deck lit up without anyone having to get down and push the activator.

“How did you-”

“Trade secret.” Stone interrupted.

“Getting a bit snippy aren’t you,
Midshipman Stone?” Wright asked.

Stone snapped back. “Sir. Sorry,
sir.” He realized he was getting a little irritated at having everything he did questioned, poked and prodded. After all, he was the victim here wasn’t he? He was the one someone tried to kill. No. They called him stupid first, then they stuck him in a dead end job and then they tried to kill him.

“
Charlie Deck. Hang on for exit,” Stone snapped. The elevator doors slid open. He circled the containers and guided them into the hallway. Even though it was not a freight hallway it was wide and high enough they could have passed themselves with room to spare.

There was a small knot of maintenance people milling about the elevator doors. Stone was grateful Jay and Peebee forgot to wave. The drascos swiveled their heads a
round to watch the people. Most of the maintenance crew backed away from the train and flattened themselves against the bulkhead. A couple of the crew blanched, raced down a corridor, jumped into an open room and slammed the hatch shut behind them.

Maggot pointed to their right.

Stone gritted his teeth. He guided the container train to the right. He realized he was also very tired of people telling him what to do when he already knew what to do. Maybe he should go back to Aunt Ruth and Uncle Jim’s and ask them to give him a ride home. He shook his head. That would not help. He would just have Dad, Mom, Grandma and Grandpa telling him what to do. “Maybe it wasn’t just people,” he thought, “maybe I am getting tired of letting the events control what I do instead of controlling the events around me.”

“Hunh!”
he said aloud.

Peebee propped her head on his shoulder and huffed a breath across his face.

Their speed was enough the breath wisped away before reaching his nostrils. Stone reached up and patted her head just behind her chrome and red flame faceplate.

“Thanks for the sentiment, Peebee.
I am not mad at you and Jay. Just mad I guess. Maybe we should have stayed on Allie’s World.” He immediately rejected the idea. The reasons they had for leaving were still valid. Allie herself was in trouble because of him. “Well, Hammer too,” he thought, but it was Allie who jumped to mind.

He slid to a smooth stop in front of the doorway to the
EMIS office. He was surprised to see it was a real door not a hatch. It even had frosted glass inlaid with the Emperor’s logo. Stone settled the containers to the deck and put the controller in park. He coded a lockout on the controller tagging their use to him only.

Maggot and Wright stepped to the door.

Maggot stopped with his hand on the doorknob. “Mister Stone, you better stay outside with your drascos.” He and Wright disappeared inside.

“Not a chance
,” Stone muttered. He hopped down and went to the door. He looked back at Jay and Peebee. They were sitting quietly watching him and seeming to watch everything else at the same time. “You two coming or not? Come on, you follow me.”

He pushed the door open. Out of curiosity he glanced at the side posts and lintel. Barely
visible was a hidden hatch that might slam shut if the station lost atmospheric containment. He nodded to himself. He liked the look. It reminded him of the door to Aunt Ruth and Uncle Jim’s living room, but this one had an emergency hatch as an added safety feature.

“We’re not open right n-” The man stopped when he saw
Jay and Peebee trail in the door behind Stone. He froze for an instant and shouted “Intruder alert.” He and two other office occupants dove behind desks only to come up with guns at the ready.

Stone stood squarely between the men and his drascos. He looked at them calmly while Maggot and Wright waved their arms trying desperately to head off any gunfire.

“Get out of the way, boy!” The man shouted.

“No
,” Stone said through clenched teeth.

Maggot shouted
, “Stand down. Everybody relax. They are friendly.”

The man peeked out from behind his desk. “Really
?”

Maggot nodded.

“They are only friendly because I say they are friendly,” Stone said with a shake of his head. “You put those weapons away or I will give the command to attack. They will rip you and your buddies to shreds before you can twitch a finger on the trigger. So put your weapons down.”

“Stone, that’s enough
,” Maggot said. “I told you to wait outside.”

Stone looked at Maggot for a couple of
heartbeats. Without turning he said, “Peebee.” He pointed at her.

Peebee wonked happily at the attention and rattled her chest plate. By
accident she slapped her wristbands against the chromed steel. The resulting noise clanged and echoed across the room.

Jay clanked her
wristbands against her chest plate and wonked loudly. She shook her shoulders causing her jewelry to rattle. The effect looked more like an angry juggernaut preparing to do battle than a happy Drasco dance.

“Ok
. Ok. Ok,” the man said dropping his weapon. The other two men followed suit, but they all stayed behind their desks.

Stone stepped far enough into the room
so Jay could get her tail in the doorway. He shut the door and turned back to the people in the room.

“First
,” he said pointing at Maggot, “I don’t take orders from you, and when I do, if I do, you bear in mind that you need me more than I need you.”

He looked at the first man. “Second,
signore. I am a midshipman in the Emperor’s navy. I understand I am not in uniform and you could not know my status, but don’t call me ‘boy’ again.”

The man glanced at Jay and Peebee then back at Stone. “Yes, Mister.
I was rude and I apologize.”

Stone nodded his acceptance. “Third, I understand you are holding two of my friends in custody for the murder of Commander Wright and
Midshipman Stone. Is that correct?”

The man looked at Maggot. “What is this
, Agent Storovitch? You are way off your beat and then you lead this kid…sorry…navy midshipman in here with those whatever they are.”

“Agent Marlbrough,
” Maggot said. “I forwarded a packet to your inbox as soon as we broke hyperspace. You should have the background information-”

“I am still waiting for my answer
,” Stone interrupted. “You are Agent Marlbrough? Are you in charge of this EMIS office?”

“Well, I am the office supervisor for third shift.
”

Stone looked at Wright and then at Maggot. “No wonder we are not getting answers. Agent Marlbrough, is the Agent
-In-Charge on station? Yes? I suggest you call him. No, don’t look at Agent Storovitch for help. Either you call your boss or I will.”

The man laughed. “You! You
’re just a midshipman. You probably wouldn’t even know what database to call up to find his number even if it was listed.”

Stone held up his
p.a. He pushed one number on the screen. Every p.a., speaker and desk comm in the room emitted a high-pitched squeal. The noise unnerved the drascos. They rose up on their hind legs, stretched their necks forward and waved their arms about. Their hissing made a counterpoint noise to the electronic feedback. He pushed another number and the squeal stopped.

“That’s enough,
girls. Jay, down,” Stone said.

“You know,” Wright said
, “no matter how many times I see them do that it makes me want to pee my pants. Agent Marlb…whatever your name is. Please answer Mister Stone and comply with his requests.”

“
You are a navy full commander,” Maggot looked at Wright in shock. “You need to take control of this young man.”

“No, Maggot
,” Wright shook her head. “This ‘young man’ has saved my life more times than I care to remember. At this moment I trust him more than I trust you.”

Stone looked at Marlbrough ignoring Wright and Maggot. “Agent, I do not need to call your boss directly. I will broadcast a message to
every speaker on this station and every ship within comms range. Do you think he would hear that? This by the way, would really mess up Agent Storovitch’s investigation. It would alert the bad guys of our presence and allow them to get away. Or would you rather make a simple call?”

Marlbrough turned to one of the other men. “Bob, get Brady down here.”

“Good,” Stone snapped. “Now can you answer my question about holding my friends? Or do we need to wait for your boss to get here to refresh your memory?”

“Yes
, we have a couple of marines in holding for the murder of a couple of navy officers.” Marlbrough said. “We have Lieutenants Vedrian and Hammermill in custody. We took them from the Periodontitis prior to their departure.”

“Agent Marlb
rough, who are they accused of murdering if you don’t mind my asking?” Wright asked.

Marlbrough checked his desk computer. “First victim was a
Navy Full Commander Danielle E. Wright and the second-”

“I am
Navy Full Commander Danielle E. Wright, Agent. You have my bio scans available for verification I assume. Therefore, you can verify I am who I say I am.”

Maggot nodded. “It is true, Marlbrough. You will have to verify
, but she is who she says she is.”

“Then your prisoners could not have murdered me
, correct?”

Marlbrough looked at Stone
, “And you would be this Midshipman Stone?”

Wright grinned
, “I do believe he is catching on, Agent Storovitch.”

Marlbrough called across the room. “Bob, call Brady and tell him to hurry down here on the pronto. Jake, get me th
e bio-scanner out of the storage room and…dang it I am out of people to order about.”

“Okay you three, or five, counting whatever those things are. Wait here.” He looked at Stone. “Mind you
, I am asking not telling.”

It
did not take long for Jake to bring out the bio-scanner. It took longer for all four of the agents to figure out how to work it and get Wright and Stone verified.

“Sorry for the delay
,” Marlbrough said. “Usually Susan or Ivana do this kind of stuff for us.”