J Mauldin - Final Solution

“Why not just use VR and take a break? It helps me out a lot. Like last night, I went home to pilfer around the Black Docks, and then last week, I spent most of my off evenings on a boat in the Caribbean. Ever seen water so blue?”

“I wish I could, man, but I can’t do it.”

“Why’s that?”

“Makes me puke every time I try.”

“Oh, well that would be a good reason not to. About all that makes me puke is gin. It’s like mint flavored rubbing alcohol.”

I scowled and licked my lips, reminding myself he was all Latino. He wouldn’t understand.

We made another full lap in silence, the boys cheering us on, or rather César. No one cheered for little old me. I was the infinite runner they despised for his dedication, while they fell into the fitness paradox. People always wanted to be in shape, but rarely had the motivation to see it done, and so they projected their self-hate over those extra fat rolls or chubby thighs on others. Where they had it wrong in my case was that I didn’t do it for any physical health reasons. A flat stomach and toned legs were incidental to keeping my mind intact.

As we entered the Cargo Bay I slowed. We needed to steer the conversation back to the Captain’s inquiry. Good or bad, I had to do what needed doing. “Talk to your family lately?”

“No.” His arms fell to his sides and he began to walk. “XO’s shut off all outbound communications except to command on Mars.”

“Really?”

“Si, but I hear it’s common.”

“It is,” I agreed. “Still, it’s rough. It was hard my first year out when they banned the com. My Dad, even though he’s unreliable, was like a lifeline to me. I wonder how long it will stay in place this time?”

“I tried to ask, but I’m not directly allowed. My electronic inquiry hasn’t been answered. If you speak to him sometime soon, can you… You know.”

“I’ll be happy to ask.” I brought us to a halt and waved at a set of cargo crates. César took a seat. “They’re your whole reason for being here, aren’t they? Your dad and sisters?”

César leaned forward on his knees and grinned. “I’m here to protect them from harm, least of all the Axis.” And there it was, a simple answer from a loyal big brother and son. His work kept them out of trouble by giving them no reason to be in it. No reason to insinuate themselves into criminal acts.

“I know just what you mean.” I clapped him on the shoulder. “What about your older brother? Can’t he help out?”

César growled at the idea. “ Olvídate del, es una fracasado. ”

“Come again?”

“Forget it.” He shook his head and peered down at his boots. “He’s worthless. I swear, if he could sell me out to the Axis for a stack of credits, I bet he’d do it with hardly a thought. And not out of spite or hate or anything like that, but just because he’s lazy. You ever hear of a lazy Latino?”

I wiped the sweat from my forehead with a small towel. “People up in the Estates would like to say that you’re all lazy.”

“Ay yai yai. Bunch of code pushers think they’re better because they don’t sweat.”

My watch buzzed again. I flipped my wrist over.

“What is it, señor?”

“Speaking of XO. He wants to talk.”

César’s foot began to tap the floor. “Will you?”

I raised a hand and nodded. “If I can get a word in edgewise. Why don’t you clean up and meet me back here in an hour?”

“Can do. Gracias, señor. You have no idea.”

“No, I do.” I waved a hand over my right shoulder as I made off for the bridge. “De nada, amigo. That’s what friends are for.”

I tossed my sweaty towel into the laundry of Crew 1, then used a wet cloth to scrub my face clean, combed my hair back and sprayed on some deodorant. I sniffed my jumpsuit and decided the fabric breathed well enough not to stink too bad. It wasn’t proper to show up on the bridge looking like a wreck, even just off PT, but there wasn’t time for much more prep.

I knocked on the bridge’s locked hatch and waited to be admitted.

“Just a minute, Goddard,” XO said as the hatch opened wide. I took up a silent place standing at attention beside the wall.

Liberty was at her station. She turned her head slightly and glanced over at me, a tiny curl twisting the corner of her lips. The Captain sat in his chair, busily scrolling through his tablet looking at streams of data. Worry lines creased the center of his forehead.

XO asked the Comm, “What’s the last sensor report showing?”

“Can’t tell much, sir,” Smith replied, her tongue ring clicking against her teeth repeatedly. “The Razor ’s reactor is still at full, but I could have sworn we hit them. Not hard, just a graze, but it was a hit. Maybe we’ve damaged their life support. Vented some air.”

“We’ll take what we can. Fryatt, how’s the counter attack shaping up?”

Liberty pressed several buttons on her interface and pursed her lips. “The computer’s still working out the trajectory for our next firing solution. We had a good one lined up earlier today, but they did a course correction and shot that solution to hell. I’ll need fresher data from the network to be sure it’s correct. I think if we aim two tenths of a degree ahead of where it shows this time, we might just catch them off guard. It’ll bring the shot down at a steep angle, and depending on how their radar interprets the data, it might be too late to make a change.”

XO nodded. “Worth a shot, and we have a few to spare based on the firing tables. Let me know as soon as the sensor uplink makes it through the system.”

“Yes, sir,” Liberty responded, and proceeded to play like she was working, but I knew fake work when I saw it. Open a window, click a box, check something irrelevant, swap back, repeat.

“Goddard,” XO spun around, “good work on the power situation. We’ve had no issues keeping ahead of schedule with the thrust leeway. It’s given Navigation room to breathe.”

The Captain paused his finger over the tablet. He was listening to us without looking.

“Sure make’s my life easier,” Rosaleigh Head put in, and Smith shook her head. “What? If we can decelerate faster on the back end we can wind up higher on the front. Slow down is the real issue. You know this, Brandi. I mean, Smith.” Her face snapped back to her screen.

I gave the XO a salute. “Just doing my job, sir.”

He returned the gesture. “And a good job that is, which is why I’m turning over our new crewmembers, Griffin and Kelly, to your direct command. I wanted to get them broken in first, but now that some time has passed, you’re more than ready.”

More responsibility? Was this a lateral promotion? Doubtful. Maybe Cap wanted them closer since I was charged with looking for the spy? Or was I being groomed for greatness, so that when the time came, I wouldn’t be able to get out of serving another tour? Either way, there was no turning this down. It was an order not a request.

“Thank you, sir. I won’t let you down.” It didn’t really matter the reason; there was no way out of it.

Cap peered over at me through his bushy eyebrows. “No, you won’t.” I felt a cold chill go down my spine. “Just stay out of trouble, and we’ll be handy dandy.” In the dimness of the room it was hard to see his eyes, nevertheless I had a feeling they were narrowed to a threat.

“Is that all, sir?” I asked, wanting to get off the bridge as fast as I could.

XO shrugged and plopped down at his station. “Kelly should be in the Cargo Bay about now, getting together supplies to refill the food dispensers. Go give him a hand and see it done. Officer 2 is nearly empty. Be sure to fill the snack trap while you’re at it.”