with
electronic sounds and flashing monitors. Charged with a new energy, I raced
through the computer’s menus, searching for the start-up procedure.
The main screen responded,
displaying a series of steps to start the engines. Did I have enough time? At
any moment the fallen captain outside would attract the attention of others,
and the pink tinge of dawn on the horizon beyond the windshield warned me that
Feran would soon arrive for his departure.
I heard banging on the ship’s door.
I slipped on my headset and turned on a control to hear what was going on
outside the craft and to communicate if I chose. A familiar voice came through
the earphones. “Who is in there? Answer at once!”
It was my superior, the supervisor
of the cargo carriers.
“Who are you?” He continued. “I
order you to answer!”
I said nothing.
“Very well, I will call the
commander.”
“And let him think . . . I
cannot handle . . . one idiot worker . . . who
thinks he is an astronaut?” I recognized the voice of the officer I had struck,
his words coming in short breaths as if he was just regaining consciousness.
“Captain, are you okay? Let me help
you to your feet.” My supervisor softened his voice to the fawning tone he used
to address those who outranked him. I heard him rushing down the stairs to
assist the guard. “You have a head wound. Here is a handkerchief.”
“Forget about me!” The captain’s
voice was stronger now. His angry tone told me that he was shaking off the
effects of my attack.
“Someone has sealed himself in the
ship, captain. I was about to call—”
“You will not bother the commander
with this trifle, unless you want to explain how your worker locked
himself inside!”
“ My worker?”
“Arial.”
“Arial? He has no permission to be
here now.”
I heard the captain climb the
stairs to the hatch. I recognized the electronic buzz that his weapon made when
he cocked it, and I felt a familiar knot form in my chest.
“Can you hear me in there?” said
the captain. “Open this door, pig, or watch me blast in and wash the floor with
your guts!”
“Wait!” I spoke into the headset’s
microphone. “If you damage Feran’s ship, you will delay his mission. He said that
anyone who interferes with his journey will be dealt with firmly .”
The pause that followed told me
that the captain was reconsidering the matter. “This is an outrage! The
insurgent is your charge,” he finally said to my supervisor. “You have
allowed a common laborer to threaten the security of the planet. Now seize him
or face arrest!”
“But captain, sir—”
“You will force this door open and
serve me the traitor’s head.”
“Of course, captain. No need to
point your gun at me, sir, really.” My supervisor’s smooth voice began to
trembled. “I am honored to have the privilege. However, with you being such a
superb patriot, perhaps you should have the opportunity yourself of rescuing
the ship. There might be a reward—”
“Hold your tongue and force the
door.”
“Why, certainly, captain. My only
concern is for you. Feran’s craft will be damaged, and he has demanded that no
one disturb his mission. The record will show that I gave no order to the idiot
Arial to work this shift. Indeed, he was to be transferred out of my department
today. The record will also show that he . . . well,
slipped by you, sir. Now, if you add this incident to the one last week when
you left your post and the commander reprimanded you . . . well,
I assure you, captain, I will speak in your favor when you are tried at the
Theater of Justice.”
As I worked feverishly to complete
the start-up procedure, I heard the captain swear furiously.
“And none of the other spacecraft
are ready to launch today,” I added, “so you will delay Feran’s mission if you
damage his prized ship to spill my worthless guts.”
“The idiot is your worker!”
The captain screamed at my supervisor. “He is your
electronic sounds and flashing monitors. Charged with a new energy, I raced
through the computer’s menus, searching for the start-up procedure.
The main screen responded,
displaying a series of steps to start the engines. Did I have enough time? At
any moment the fallen captain outside would attract the attention of others,
and the pink tinge of dawn on the horizon beyond the windshield warned me that
Feran would soon arrive for his departure.
I heard banging on the ship’s door.
I slipped on my headset and turned on a control to hear what was going on
outside the craft and to communicate if I chose. A familiar voice came through
the earphones. “Who is in there? Answer at once!”
It was my superior, the supervisor
of the cargo carriers.
“Who are you?” He continued. “I
order you to answer!”
I said nothing.
“Very well, I will call the
commander.”
“And let him think . . . I
cannot handle . . . one idiot worker . . . who
thinks he is an astronaut?” I recognized the voice of the officer I had struck,
his words coming in short breaths as if he was just regaining consciousness.
“Captain, are you okay? Let me help
you to your feet.” My supervisor softened his voice to the fawning tone he used
to address those who outranked him. I heard him rushing down the stairs to
assist the guard. “You have a head wound. Here is a handkerchief.”
“Forget about me!” The captain’s
voice was stronger now. His angry tone told me that he was shaking off the
effects of my attack.
“Someone has sealed himself in the
ship, captain. I was about to call—”
“You will not bother the commander
with this trifle, unless you want to explain how your worker locked
himself inside!”
“ My worker?”
“Arial.”
“Arial? He has no permission to be
here now.”
I heard the captain climb the
stairs to the hatch. I recognized the electronic buzz that his weapon made when
he cocked it, and I felt a familiar knot form in my chest.
“Can you hear me in there?” said
the captain. “Open this door, pig, or watch me blast in and wash the floor with
your guts!”
“Wait!” I spoke into the headset’s
microphone. “If you damage Feran’s ship, you will delay his mission. He said that
anyone who interferes with his journey will be dealt with firmly .”
The pause that followed told me
that the captain was reconsidering the matter. “This is an outrage! The
insurgent is your charge,” he finally said to my supervisor. “You have
allowed a common laborer to threaten the security of the planet. Now seize him
or face arrest!”
“But captain, sir—”
“You will force this door open and
serve me the traitor’s head.”
“Of course, captain. No need to
point your gun at me, sir, really.” My supervisor’s smooth voice began to
trembled. “I am honored to have the privilege. However, with you being such a
superb patriot, perhaps you should have the opportunity yourself of rescuing
the ship. There might be a reward—”
“Hold your tongue and force the
door.”
“Why, certainly, captain. My only
concern is for you. Feran’s craft will be damaged, and he has demanded that no
one disturb his mission. The record will show that I gave no order to the idiot
Arial to work this shift. Indeed, he was to be transferred out of my department
today. The record will also show that he . . . well,
slipped by you, sir. Now, if you add this incident to the one last week when
you left your post and the commander reprimanded you . . . well,
I assure you, captain, I will speak in your favor when you are tried at the
Theater of Justice.”
As I worked feverishly to complete
the start-up procedure, I heard the captain swear furiously.
“And none of the other spacecraft
are ready to launch today,” I added, “so you will delay Feran’s mission if you
damage his prized ship to spill my worthless guts.”
“The idiot is your worker!”
The captain screamed at my supervisor. “He is your
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