Episode 12

Chapter 31

Jacob

Personal log (voice), J. J. Stone, Captain of the Hades, 12:33am, October 30th 2006.

I just keep doing stupid things.

Anybody with an ounce of sense would still be in bed. A full ounce of sense isn't even required to know that. A tenth of an ounce would do.

But that fucking military once again involved themselves in my life.

I don't want to hate them. Really, I do not. But how can I respect them when every behavior they show ranges from the tactless to tonight's attempt of thievery?

I managed to sit in the command chair. It took me several minutes to remember the most obscure code the ship had. A code even more obscure then the one I told the girl.

Who was that girl?

And why did I feel it necessary to tell her that information? Come to think of it, I can't remember what information I told her. I rubbed a sore spot on my head. Probably the wrong information if she messed up.

I put my finger on the Q button and wiggled it for a few minutes.

The boards lit up.

Lucky for me that they were not far wrong when they claimed that nearly dead I could still run this ship. I did a few system checks and stabilized a few systems. From this I learned I gave that girl the master engineering code.

Why in the name of the love life I would never have did I do that?

Next I did a geospacial scan and noted we were a quarter of the way to the moon and running under full power.

I looked over at the girl who was in the process of hogtying the other people aboard the bridge. "Who are you and why are we headed to the moon?"

The girl looked back a little worried. "Don't you remember? I thought that being so drunk would keep you loose enough to escape injury."

"Drunk?"

"What did you do, bitch?" One of the trussed up officers demanded.

"I tied you up because you and your quiet cohort over there tried to steal this ship. You claimed you were going to seize this ship and Jacob was either going to work for you, or be charged with treason under the Patriot Act."

My voice was nowhere near normal. But my mind was falling back into place. "Turn over the loudmouthed one. What's the name on his uniform?"

She complied. "Colt. The rank insignia says he's a General."

That was enough information. I remembered all I needed and more than I wanted. I turned to the girl. "I remember now. You're Ashley."

"Right." She still looked worried.

"What about us?" the General demanded.

My voice went colder then the space surrounding the ship. "Ashley, if either of them makes another sound, so much as a burp, you are to throw them out of the airlock."

Ashley looked at the geospacial locator. "Shouldn't we be getting back to earth? I don't think you remembered to tell me to stock up on the environmental stuff before we left the atmosphere."

"Probably not." I decided with my present voice, Wotan would not recognize me. "Set course for Crete, please."

Ashley sat in the navigation seat. "Wotan."

"Yes?"

"Adjust course. Set return point to reenter earth's atmosphere above Crete."

"Done."

"Environmental report."

"Primary consumables at 25%"

"Backups?"

"Enough for 13 minutes."

"ETA?"

"17 minutes."

Ashley looked like she was trying to remember how much the ship's primary levels translated into minutes. Evidently she was satisfied with her mental estimates because she sat down and enjoyed the view.

Scotty came over and hopped on my lap. His starting to purr was the last thing I noticed as I fell asleep in the command chair.

Chapter 32

Captain Amy 'Rolling Stone' Stone, USAF.

12:47am

(10:47am local time.)

I was back at the bridge communications station. This time at the request of Rear Admiral Bright. We had received orders to do a full scale show of force to put both sides on notice that once the deal went through, we intended to see it last.

So once again I was contacting my son. "This is the U.S.S. Independence calling the D.S. Hades. Come in Hades."

The visual came on. It wasn't Jacob at the com station though.

Besides me, Thunderfeet gasped. "Ashley? What you doing there?"

"Long story mom. I didn't know you knew Jacob?"

Thunderfeet sidestepped the implied question.

"Where's Jacob? His mother needs to talk with him."

"He's napping. I'd rather not disturb him."

"What? Why not?"

"He's had rather a really bad night."

I spoke up. "Still, I need to speak with him."

"I'll take the call."

That voice sounded familiar. But it couldn't be Jacob. Just how many people are aboard that flight??

My question was answered when the visual came on. Two. Make that three. I saw Ashley, but the kid sitting in the command chair could not possibly be Jacob. "I thought you said Jacob was aboard the ship. Where is he?

"Do you not recognize me mother?"

"No." I stared at the kid sitting in the chair. He was Jacob's age and size. But there all resemblance ended. He was dressed in a pirate costume. His hair was disheveled and there was evidence of puking all over his outfit. He was holding an ice pack to his head and basically looked like death not warmed over. I took a closer look. "No," I muttered, "it can't be."

"It is. The events of the last thirty hours produced this. And I do not care anymore. Those I care about seem to die, desert me, or just go away. The legend is human. He has his limits."

It hurt to see my son like this. "Jacob, son, it can't be that bad."

The tone he responded in had me really worried. "You did not call to discuss by mental state. Why did you call?"

"Ut oh. Incoming aircraft. Weapons armed and locked."

"Red alert. Arm all weapons and raise all shields. Warn them to break approach, or be blown to the backyard of Beelzebub."

Ashley relayed the orders.

Vice Admiral Bright stared at the screen. He checked a few scanners. "They are our fighters. It is standard protocol when a craft approaches like yours does that is not supposed to."

Jacob was unmoved. "I do not give a damn. Have them comply with my orders before my computer does."

Beside me, Thunderfeet cried out. "But our own fighters? Possible friends of your mother?"

"Right now, I hate the military. Do not push me."

Bright held his tempter in check. "Call them to standard patrol positions, they are not to threaten him in any way."