CHAPTER FIFTEEN
On the Mystic, the crew was scrabbling trying to divert as much power as they could to the engines.
“Milton, what is our status?” The Commander called out.
“We are still slowing down, Sir.”
“Grunt, you have got to push those units harder!” The Commander yelled.
“Look, your Majesty, the only thing left to do is get out and push! I am doing all I know how to!” Grunt yelled back.
The Commander thought for a moment, then smiled. He pulled up the amount of maintenance pods they were caring, and the specs. on each of them, Then he sent Lars down to give Grunt some specific orders.
“Make sure he knows that these are Commanders orders!”
One minute later Grunt was using several of his colorful metaphors as he launched the maintenance pods and got them into position.
“Captain, if this damages any one of my pods, I swear…”
“Grunt, your swearing is the only thing that I am sure of right this minute, now shut up!” The Captain replied.
“Adaria, you are going to have to extend our shielding around those pods”
“Sir, that will…”
“You have your orders. Everything we are doing now involves risks.” The Commander stated.
“Yes Sir.”
The Commander then went over to Milton’s station.
"Sir, those units cannot create enough boost to get us through the conduit.” Milton said quietly.
“What if they were set on emergency mode?” the Commander asked with raised eyebrows.
Milton thought about this for a moment, then smiled.
“I do not want to be the one that tell Grunt, you burned up his pods.” Milton said shaking his head.
“He is not stupid, he knows that is the only way that this is going to work. I will just have to avoid him until I can get them replaced. So, you know what to do when we light those things up?” The Commander asked.
“Yes Sir!” Milton replied, then mumbled as the Commander walked away,
“Hang on for dear life.”
“Inform the Exon what we are attempting to do. Let them know we will going faster than the numbers we sent them previously, so they can adjust what they need to do.” The Commander ordered.
“Alright everyone strap in. Adaria, be ready to reduce the shields on panels 354-764 on my mark. Alright Grunt, light up those pods engines!”
At first it appeared as nothing was happening.
“Wait for it,” Commander Ratmire said, as a little boy who just lit his first fire cracker.
Ten seconds later, the pods kicked in, and most on the ship felt as they had just got kicked themselves. It took another couple of seconds for everyone to recover.
“Milton, stay sharp that those little pods don’t throw us into the portal wall.”
“Yes Sir, I’m on it.”
“Adaria, You need to trim the side shields to .007.” Milton called out.
“That is too thin!” She replied.
“We have no choice, follow his directions,” Commander Ratmire called out as he was doing some other calculations.
“Yes Sir,” Adaria replied in a tone that everyone knew she did not agree.
“Speed?” The Commander asked.
“425 L.P.” Milton called out.
“Location?”
“Coming up on our mark in ten seconds.”
“Adaria, ready to reduce forward shielding,” the Commander ordered.
“Milton, watch the drift.”
“Compensating Sir, not all the pods are still producing full fire power.”
“Location?”
“Forty seconds before contact with the Exon.” Milton replied to the Commander as he struggled to keep their ship flying straight.
“Grunt, how are the pods holding up?”
“Considering the amount of Jersey fluid that is flooding their intakes, it is a miracle they are still operating.” Grunt replied and added a few more words the commander ignored.
“Timing people…ready…and drop the front shielding! Signal the Exon to connect now!”
All on board held their breath.
“Speed?” The commander called out.
“Increasing Sir. 427, 444 ,450. Holding at 450.” Milton replied, then added,
“Reaching the exit in four, three, two, one, we are clear!”
Just as the cleared the ship banked hard right, throwing most of the crew out of their secured positions.
“Report!” Commander Ratmire ordered.”
“When we cleared the portal, half the maintenance pods blew, throwing us off course. Thankfully we had cleared.” Milton replied.
“We save your rubbery skins, and you break off without so much as a thank you?” Captain Majors voice came booming over the speakers.
“And we risk everything to come get you, and all you can do is smart off?” Commander fired back then added.
“Look Captain, we will be sending you docking instructions momentary, try not to mess them up.”
Thirty minutes later the Exon was neatly tucked in one of the Mystic’s holding bays. It was a joyous occasion. Both crews were not only happy to be together, but that both had done so much against all odds to be back together.
The celebration was paused, when Private returned up into the Exon and brought out a reluctant Sara.
Commander Ratmire looked at Captain Majors.
“It is quite simple sir, my crew needed her assistance and she needed to be with ones that treated her with dignity and respect. It is all under Article 61, codes 3-10.”
The Commander grabbed his pad and after scrolling through several pages, turn it off, closed his eyes, and shook his head.
“It would take someone like you to twist so many codes, in order to get what you want out of them,” the Commander said with a sigh.
“What is your name?” The Commander asked.
“I am Sara Foster, what is your name?”
The question took them all a little by surprise.
“I am Commander Ratmire. I am in charge her and deserve everyone’s respect and obedience to my orders.”
“I Sir, have been an active and contributing member of the Exon. I have given them the respect that they deserved, but I have also gained theirs. My experience with human military officers was one that I never recieved their respect. My aim is to gain yours.” Sara stated in a surprisingly confident tone.
The Commanders stern look finally gave way to a slight smile.
“Young human female Sara, you have two things that are working for, you and against you. You use human reasoning, and you have been under the influence of Captain Majors. Come, lets all enjoy a meal, before we have to plan our next move.” The Commander stated.
“Now that is something I have been waiting to hear!” Private said as he licked his lips.”
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