Episode 11

Monday

Chapter 27

Jacob

Personal log (voice), J. J. Stone, Captain of the Hades, 12:03am, October 30th 2006.

Somebody was once reported to have said, 'I'm going to bed now. Someone please wake me if there's any other way we can screw up tonight.'

The bed part was excellent advice. The problem was that moving made me feel really sick. My stomach was queasy and it felt like there was a gang of rioting musicians playing poorly on purpose in my head. If this was the result of getting drunk, then why do people do it? Isn't there less sickening ways to escape life?

The Hades was flying smoothly though the skies.

Speaking of ways to escape life, I'm surprised I'm still alive after what I tried to do to Ashley.

Colt got in front in me. "Can't hold your drink eh? Look at the mighty mouthed teen brought low by some beer. My six your old son can obviously hold his drink better than you."

I had enough. Tonight is too painful to be awake for.

I stumbled for my quarters.

Chapter 28

Gunny Colpepper

12:10am

(ship's time)

Finally, he left.

I thought he'd die there. He certainly looked sick enough to do so.

The general and I had plans for that chair.

I waited for ten minutes. The last thing I needed was to have him stumble back in. I did not want to see how much of a recovery panicked understanding would give him.

Ten minutes later General Colt stopped looking out the windows. "Do it now gunny."

"Yes sir."

I moved to the seat Stone had vacated. I had looked it over while he was wherever he was earlier.

"Well?"

I sat down and moved my hands over the controls in various speculative motions. Finally I was ready. "Sir, I should be able to handle it. The reports describe things that a few switches look like they do. The rest I think is straightforward."

"Good work gunny. Take control of the ship."

I hit a few buttons, and a new hologram came up.

We watched the seascape pass by.

"Gunny, take us to Parris Island."

"Yes sir."

The Hades turned south.

Chapter 29

Ashley

12:20am

(ship's time)

It is time. I moved from my hiding place and went towards the bridge. I don't like the idea of drinking and driving. Even if Jacob is not truly driving. God knows where he may be sending this thing. It may not even be the place he intended to go. Right now I'd be surprised if he could tell his hand from his foot.

On the bridge I encountered two more people.

They were in uniform and armed. One was seated on the command seat and the other was in one of the forward seats.

What's going on here?

Taking another look, I noticed that the person in the command seat was working the controls hesitantly.

I started to get worried. Not because they were military, but because they were there at all.

Then the one in the forward chair noticed me standing here.

"Excuse me. Who are you two? Does Jacob know you are here?" I looked again at the trajectory display. "What's with the island? He told me that he was heading to the Middle East."

The person sitting in the forward chair ignored my questions. "How soon until we get there?"

"Parris Island in twenty five minutes, General, if I'm reading these instruments correctly."

"Parris Island?? Why would he want to go there?"

"He doesn't have a choice."

I started to move to the navigation chair. "Explain yourselves."

The officer in the forward chair snapped, "We do not have to explain ourselves to any civilians."

I was getting worried. So I sat in the navigation chair and entered my own code.

The system quietly accepted me. I then quietly entered one of the few straight numerical address codes I knew by heart.

The Hades turned to the right.

The person in the command chair gave a start. "General? Did you push any buttons?"

"No Gunny, I did not. Why?"

"The ship's computer has received new instructions." Then the gunny looked at a screen then cross referenced it to another screen. "It looks like we are going back to Maryland."

I foolishly spoke up. "We're going back to home base. Captain Stone will get to the bottom of this."

The general yanked me out of the chair and across the bridge. "Home base is where I say it is."

I used my tumbling skills to land safely.

"What did you do bitch?"

I didn't say anything more. Soon we'd be back home. There I would be able to get a few answers.

Well, maybe I would if Jacob was sober enough.

"It's ok, General. I can countermand her instructions."

"Oh shit."

"Shit is exactly what you are in a lot of." The general shoved me off the bridge and drew his sidearm. "Stay out of my way and maybe I'll turn you lose at Parris Island. By the time you get back home, the military will be fully in control of this program and it's creator."

I looked at the pointed gun. I knew enough to recognize the safety was off. I did not need a sign from above to know it was loaded.

I asked my question anyway. "What if I cause more trouble?"

"Either you get charged with treason, or I just shoot you here and now." The general waved his gun at me.

If I'm going to be the next girlfriend of Jacob Jehosophat Stone, I might as well start acting like it. "What? Not going to shoot me in the workroom? In here you might hit something explosive." I pointedly ignored his gun as I walked away.