Episode 14

Chapter 37

Jacob.

Personal log (voice), J. J. Stone, Captain of the Hades, 3:50 am, October 31st, 2006

(1:50 pm local time)

I felt my pulse starting to speed up again.

Odd.

Why should a simple recounting of the story cause this?

My mother spoke as I paused for more tea. "You never told me you planned something this advanced."

"You never asked." I told her. "To finish the report. The missile hit the outermost shields and exploded. Harmlessly as far as we were concerned. Not so for the other missiles. They blew up in the explosion. Because we allowed the explosion to occur so close to the Hades, the concentrated power took out the outermost shields and reduced the innermost ones to thirty four percent. We tried to contain the debris caused by the explosion with the ship's shields. Because all the force was not spent by distance, the primary shields dropped to two percent. By the time we landed on the ship again we were going on navigational shields only. The recyclatron was starting to cycle the power again."

The Vice Admiral looked dazed.

"Did I confuse you?"

"Probably. I kept listening to your statement and all I could think is that I must have stepped into a science fiction movie. But it must be real. The proof's sitting on my flight deck. You are definitely what I need."

"Oh, for the love of the leviathon. Not another one. Do I exist to solve everybody else's problems? Will nobody think out their own solutions?"

"You have it wrong. I'm not going to try to take your craft or force you to do anything for me. The Navy does not use direct force like that."

"Of course not. There are other, surer methods to use."

"You mean by holding your mother's career over your head? We don't act like that. At least I don't. I have a challenging request, but I've already waited thirty years for the answer. I can wait longer. All I ask is that you are willing to hear me out when you drop your mother off after the funeral."

I stared at Bright intensely. He was not as bad as the others I've dealt with. Maybe he's earned it. "Very well. Upon my return."

We went back towards the flight deck. There I met my mother's best friend. The coincidence of her being Ashley's mother I'm not even going to think about at this point.

But it made what happened next a little disturbing. She gave my mother's duffle bag to Ashley. "Could you put that aboard the Hades? While you're at it, show Mrs. Stone around it. I need to ask this young man a question."

We waited while they went aboard.

Then Mrs. Cork said it. "My daughter would make an excellent girlfriend, wouldn't you agree? You could do far worse."

Chapter 38

Vincent Black, Chaplain, U.S.M.C.

5:15am

(7:15pm local time)

I received a message to meet Adam Stone at a field near the rocky coast. When I got there, Adam was leaning on his crutches and checking his watch.

"I'm here. Are you ok? Should you be standing like that?"

"It's ok. Jacob should be arriving at any moment. I'm to meet him here and show him where the visitor's quarters are. He'll be here at 05:30hrs."

"05:30hours? It's 19:15hours. Is he running THAT late?"

"No. 05:30hours is EST at home. His clocks are set by that time."

I looked around at the broken field. It was strewn with rocks. There wasn't a landing strip to be seen.

I was just about to point this out when something crossed the horizon.

"Look, there he is."

I looked. I looked again at the incoming craft. Then at Adam. Then back at the incoming craft.

Adam looked like he was expecting it.

I'm glad he was. Because I've been looking at it for four minutes now and I still had no idea what it was.

"Okay Pastor. I bet the offering intake from yesterday you're dying to learn what's going on here."

The craft landed.

I could only nod. The only thing that could shock me more was God dropping by to hand me a revised copy of the ten commandments.

Adam pointed at the recently landed craft. "That, my dear Pastor, is the work of my youngest brother. I need a lift up since the field is so rocky. Besides, you did say you wanted to speak with him."

A girl's voice came over the exterior speakers. "One of you had better be Adam Stone."

I looked at Adam.

He looked back confused. "I'm Adam Stone. Who are you and where's my brother?"

"I'll tell you later who I am. Jacob's in the kitchen making tea. His mother is there as well. Come on aboard."

I jumped up to the ship. Why couldn't they find a better spot to pick Adam up? I helped Adam up and we turned around.

"Hi there. I'm Ashley." She looked between the two of us. "Only one of you is the right age to be Jacob's brother. So who are you?"

"I'm Pastor Black. Among other things I'm supposed to help with the funeral and help family members deal with their loss. It's probably going to be harder on Jacob. He's not in the military. I have a question."

"Shoot."

"That's not the safest thing to say around here." I paused while she digested a joke older than she was. "Why did you arrange the pickup here?"

"Your base commander suggested this spot. I guess nobody told them about his brother's broken leg." She offered an arm. "Need some assistance?"

"Not now that I'm aboard this thing. I never thought Jacob was this far along in his experiments."

"Welcome to the Density Ship Hades."

Adam limped ahead as he talked. "We did not want to worry him about my health. I was assured of a complete recovery. Anyway, let's get this thing headed to the mess hall and get some..." He reached the bridge and sat down. "SHIT IN A SACK!!!!!"

I ran in at his shout.

Oh Dear God in his Heaven.

I was wrong earlier. There is something more shocking than this ship. It's boarding it to find a Marine General and his gunny trussed up like witches to be burnt.

This is going to be bad.

"Jacob!" Adam called. "Get out here!"

Jacob walked out and sat in the command chair. "Where to, Adam?"

"Never mind that. What's with this???"

"What's with what?"

"You know what. You have the Commandant of the Cadet Corps hog -tied here!"

"No. I have a common thief and a pirate."

"Does Dad know?"

"Mom should have told him by now."

"What possible reason can you have for this?"

"They tried to steal my ship and kidnap me into their service. That loudmouthed embarrassment for an officer waved the Patriot Act around as if it gave him carte blanc to steal my work like candy from a baby." Jacob looked like he wanted to spit at the General. "I guess he learned this baby had grown a few teeth."

"What are your plans?"

"To call the MP's and have them arrested."

Chapter 39

Tiffany

Personal log (voice), Tiffany French, Captain of the Flying Dutchman, 7 am, October 31st, 2006

I finished my plate of toast and sat the dirty plate on the floor by the command chair. I had slept rather well on the way back. On second thought, I tossed it out the hatch and through my bedroom window.