Plague Planet (The Wandering Engineer) (81 page)

...*...*...*...*...

In the chaos and vacuum of the loss of the leadership of the
planet, Nohar had taken charge of planetary security. Helen had managed to get
him into a regen tank and replaced his missing body parts with cloned
replacements. She said it was because she wanted him as a walking
advertisement... and only a younger cat could keep up with security and the
constant headaches of the mob. Nohar had just snorted.

He'd been a little annoyed, but resigned to the fact that
Solaximara was the new head of Neo affairs. The red Neo was already maneuvering
to become the lieutenant governor of the colony when elections were held on the
next landing day. He had a bit of competition in Hodges, who couldn't make up
his mind if he wanted that position or the governor's mansion.

Hank McCoy was deeply involved in engineering and medical
technology. Helen had kept her job as Director of Medicine, but she'd been the
interim governor since all the other directors and the previous lieutenant
governor had died before help could arrive.

She'd thankfully handed the reins of power over to Commissioner
Gordon, who said he'd clean up the government and make it more effective. He'd
already started on a general house cleaning in law enforcement, and had even
rammed through a new constitution. Some said he'd be a shoe in for the
governor's mansion in the next election... if someone didn't bump him off
first.

Sprite had reported that Gordon was getting support from Fox. Fox
had apparently installed new computers and security systems for the
commissioner and helped him secure additional tech to hopefully stay alive.

Gordon had refused to be called governor, in fact he had made it
clear he didn't want the job. He made it plain that he would only hold it until
the next election. Irons wasn't sure if the former police commissioner was
sincere or a really good actor. He'd watched a few of Gordon's speeches, the
man didn't lie once. He played it straight, he was brutally honest, and he got
the job done. All good qualifications.

It didn't matter, Gordon was polling astronomical numbers from the
population. He may not have a choice in running come next year.

It would be somewhat ironic if it really did turn out that a man
who didn't want the job but was best suited for it ended up being forced to
take it. Diogenes may have found his honest man, Irons thought.

The governor had wanted to attend but had instead been called away
by a hurricane approaching the southern coast. Irons thought he had his
priorities just right. Besides, he barely knew the man, the people he would
most miss were right here. He nodded to Nohar.

“Well, if you won't go to the army, I suppose we'll have to send
them to you,” Irons teased the tiger, shaking his artificial hand. Nohar
snorted.

“Don't get an old ranger's hopes up. I wish Rajar could have...”

“I know,” Irons said softly, patting his shoulder. “I know. The
kid did all right, he just didn't know. We need to fix that. Teach them.”

“Right.”

“Which is what I was hoping...”

Nohar's eye turned to him and he stopped, ears flicking for a
moment before they went fully forward. He chuffed, his left hand on his abdomen.
“You don't quit?” he demanded, laughing.

“Nope.”

“Well, I'm glad, it's a good thing. I'll think about it. No
promises,” he warned, one finger upraised in warning. “I kind of like my life
now. Getting up at oh four hundred hours and shining some officer's ass with my
lips isn't something I'm that attached to doing.”

“I was fairly certain it wasn't,” Irons replied with a laugh.
“Take care of Hank will you?”

“McCoy? He's landed on his feet. Good kid, he's running
engineering so don't worry about him. He's in his glory. Jerry's managing him
to keep him out of trouble and keep people from taking too much advantage of
him.”

“Good,” Irons nodded. “Take care. I'll hopefully be by again
someday.”

“Stop in at Kong's and I'll buy you a beer,” Nohar replied with an
ear flick. Irons nodded to Helen and Audrey. Audrey gave him a hug as Nohar
backed off. Helen just gave him a polite wave. She turned, one hand going to
her ear piece.

“Surprised she made it,” Audrey said, looking back at her.

“She's good people. You two make sure she stays that way,” Irons
said.

“Easier said than done,” Audrey replied, wrinkling her nose in
disgust as Jerry came over and tugged on Helen's skirt to get her attention...
and knowing Jerry to see if he could induce a little female clothing mishap
mayhem. She looked down and swatted at the chimp. He chuffed in annoyance as
she adjusted her skirt belt and then covered her earpiece and demanded what he
wanted.

Irons turned, giving them some privacy. “Knox will be around
sometime, I sent a recommendation letter to him.”

“Oh just what I need. People thinking I'm on the straight and
narrow. You do know how to ruin a girl's reputation don't you?” Audrey
demanded. Nohar snorted, shaking his head.

“Take care, all of you,” Irons replied climbing into his ship with
a backwards wave.

...*...*...*...*...

“Are we ready for this?” Phoenix asked as he approached to dock.
Irons leaned forward unnecessarily, craning his neck to look at the ship as he
made the final approach.

“Yes. As ready as we'll ever be,” Irons replied. “Though if you
want to stop at the refinery to top off...”

“Thanks but no thanks,” Phoenix replied dryly. “I'm full up
already,” the AI replied.

Irons snorted. “Suit yourself. Calculations complete?”

“Waiting on your mass readings right now,” the AI responded. Irons
watched the doors as his Fleet launch drifted into position. He came to a
relative stop in time to feel the tractors engage, drawing his shuttle up into
the bay. There was the barest of perceptible bumps as the shuttle docked and
then umbilicals attached to her top and starboard side.

“Doors closing. Umbilical pressurized,” Sprite reported as the
admiral shut the shuttle down and went through post flight chores. “Off to the
next adventure,” Sprite said.

“We're getting there commander, that's the main thing. One planet
at a time if necessary,” Phoenix responded. “Though we're going to have a bit
of a wait before we reach another planet. Jumping to what? B100omega and then
four other empty systems before we get to Bek?”

“I know, it's a long shot,” Irons replied, unstrapping and
climbing out of his seat. He grabbed the duffel he'd stored in the overhead and
headed for the hatch. The rest of his cargo could wait, he literally had no
room in the ship right now. Just enough to get from the shuttle bay to the
bridge, his cabin, and the attached head. If he sucked it in, in a few places.
It really was that tight.

“Break orbit,” Irons said. “Final checks?” he asked, squeezing
through the passageway. When he got to his cabin door he opened it long enough
to toss his duffel in and then kept on going to the bridge.

“Navigation app has completed calculations. We are on course for
the jump off point.” Phoenix replied. “I'd appreciate it if Sprite double
checked the calculations though,” he said sounding a trifle nervous.

“Agreed,” Irons replied with a nod as the hatch opened.

“Admiral on the bridge,” Phoenix intoned.

“Can it. Let's get this show on the road,” Irons replied sitting
in the captain's chair. He set his right arm down into its custom designed interface.
Ports opened up and cables plugged into his arm as the back adjusted to his
body and then tipped back to a more comfortable position.

“We are receiving a hail,” Phoenix said.

“Oh? What now?” he asked with a slight twinge of exasperation. He
didn't need any more delays.

“Good luck and good speed admiral, Phoenix. May the Spirits of
Space protect you and guide you. Epsilon Triangula out,” Gordon's rough voice
cut through his exasperation. He smiled slightly and hit the transmit.

“And to you too Epsilon. May the spirits shine their light on you
and yours. Keep moving towards the light,” he said and then closed the channel.
He squirmed slightly, adjusting himself and then nodded. “Engage.”

“Time to jump point twenty five hours. Running simulation of jump
now. Entering the latest mass readings. We're flying blind though,” Sprite
cautioned.

“We'll get it done anyways Sprite, we always do,” Irons replied.

“Aye aye sir, sublight engaged.”

The end.

This was a hard book to write, and I'm glad Jacob, Thomas, and
Gord kept encouraging me. It would have taken twice as long without the
discussions with Jacob, thank you for that. Jacob, you helped with some good
ideas, and helped me think of others. ;)

This is a filler book, or was. It will play a part in future
books, of that you can rest assured. One of the major things in Pirate's Rage
will come because of events in this book.... ah, but that's for tomorrow. For
now I'm taking a much deserved break, Heart of the Swarm is calling. >:D

Here are some of the people in the Wandering engineer universe.

Fleet Admiral John Henry Irons:
Engineering fleet admiral, possibly the
last in the galaxy. At the time of stasis he was 102 years old with nearly
eighty years in the service, 70 as an officer. He has 3 doctorates and multiple
other degrees, most of them engineering related. He slept in stasis for 713
years missing the end of the Xeno war. He was a bit of a celebrity before and
during the Xeno war, having a hand in the design of the first Stargate and one
of the Dyson spheres.

He spent 15 months on Io 11 after being rescued by her crew. He
then spent a year in the Pyrax system and then 8 months on Destiny before
transferring to Kiev 221.

Lieutenant Commander Sprite:
Smart, sometimes spunky smart AI and
central core of Trinity. Serves as his adjunct. She is currently growing and
evolving.

Proteus:
Experimental
d
istributed AI based in the admiral's nanites.
Serves as his engineering helper and bridge to controlling his nanites.

Lieutenant JG Defender:
Extremely intolerant dumb AI programmed as the admiral's
security.

Phoenix:
Semi-smart female AI core of the starship Phoenix, created by
Sprite and Proteus.

IO 11:

Captain:
Crotchety old woman. Hard captain, but beloved by her crew. In her
eighth decade.

Vanessa:
Purser of the ship, hard penny pinching witch of a woman.

Emily:
Chief of security and XO of the ship. Blue hair, hard cold
temperament. Granddaughter of the captain.

Lessa:
chief navigator.

Shandra:
Chief helmsman. Partner of Jennie.

Jennie:
Assistant chief.

Faith:
Scottish chief engineer. Had been injured just prior to the
admiral's arrival. Restored to full health after long time in stasis.

Io:
AI of the ship. First AI created by Sprite.

Doctor:
Female doctor. Mother of Mindy, spent years in stasis after
injury.

Mindy:
Teenage goth daughter of the doctor.

Doctor:
  Male doctor, shanghaied from Seti Alpha 5. resettled there with
wife and child.

Deidra:
Chief pilot.

Hibiki:
Junior pilot.

Taki:
chief load master.

Leri:
chief of fuel.

In Pyrax:

Commander Horatio Logan:
Former yeoman and enlisted petty officer prior to and during Xeno
war. Sleeper, he was awoken over a century prior to the admiral and served as
the chief engineer of Anvil space station before the admiral's arrival.
Currently the commanding officer of Pyrax.

1
^st
Lieutenant Junior Valdez:
Son of Senior
Valdez, former tug pilot turned small craft pilot and later first fighter pilot
in Pyrax. Currently acting LT commander in charge of all pilots in the system.