Chapter 9: The Phoenix

The FFP Jonathon Stone settled in the grassy plain near the massive elevator platform.The pylons gently sunk into the thick wild grass.

"Ok, everyone listen up," Buck said to the group that overfilled the Bridge. "Talick, I need ten of your people to help Tex, Bear and Benny get the new construction drones going on the outside of the Dragnot."

Talick nodded, and started picking his crew to help the other three.

"Sasha, I'd like you to get the new and improved Blain up and running in the Dragnot. Take Bill and Razor with you to help, OK?" Buck said.

Sasha and the other two took off to get Blain and move him to the Dragnot. Sasha had spent a good deal of time working on the very outdated AI, with Benny's help of course. Unfortunately, Benny's Redneck mannerisms from Tex had carried over to the Air Walker AI, who now insisted on being called Billy Bob Blain. After receiving all of Earth's most current data, Blain had found a reference to a well know redneck bar and liked the name. Once Sasha, Bill, and Razor had left to get Billy Bob Blain, Buck turned to the remaining people in the room.

"Shera, from what I understand the crew on the Dragnot are in need of medical supplies. I also want you to bring whoever is in charge of their medical center here and get them started on the HUD training, ASAP. Take Volosh with you as a liaison since you don't know anyone down there," Buck finished.

Shera nodded, and a large female Air Walker came over smiling. Volosh had already completed the medical HUD under Shera's supervision and was now her assistant. "Let's go teach them backward Air Walkers about modern medicine boss," said Volosh, grinning.

Buck smiled as he remembered the fight Volosh had put up when asked to use the HUD. "Earth Mother will turn into a man before I get in that damn machine!" she had said, grimly.

"Oh well, I thought you wanted to be a great healer Volosh. I must have misunderstood you then," Shera said as she turned away from the angry giant female.

Shera felt a massive paw on her shoulders. "You say that machine can make me a better healer?" Volosh asked softly. It had always been her dream to help her fellow Air Walkers. Just because they had a very long life span did not mean they could not be hurt or even killed. "I am sorry for my outburst Master Healer. Please teach me to become a benefit to my people and others," Volosh said quietly, looking into Shera's eyes and heart.

"I would be my honor, my friend. I believe we will have a great deal of healing to do before long and I really could use the help," Shera said, smiling as she lead the giant female to the medical HUD station.

The two had become inseparable after that day, and worked hard on finding four more Air Walkers to join their medical team. Shera had even convinced Razor to train on the medical HUD, so he could help out in a crisis. When Buck saw this, he made every person, both human and Air Walker, take the abbreviated course on the HUD.

"Better to know a little extra and not need it than to need some basic first aid and not know it," he said, when he announced it to the entire group on the Jonathon Stone. There were a few mumbles but everyone did take the basic medical aid course. Hell it was only an hour and you learned enough to do everything except surgery, Buck thought as he watched the two medical officers leave for the Dragnot.

Buck looked around as the others left, that left only Commander Stone and about twenty Air Walkers still on the bridge. Buck smiled, he knew what Sarge's reaction and the Air Walkers reaction would be to his last order of the morning.

"Commander Stone, I see no reason to interrupt your combat training at this time. Can you get the rest of our friends here back to combat training?" he asked the smiling AI.

"Yes sir! Combat training it is then sir! Ok you bunch of hairballs, move out to the pit so I can kick your fuzzy asses!" he yelled in his best drill sergeant's voice as he winked at Buck.

There was a distinct groan from a few of the Air Walkers as they moved out the bridge door. Buck saw a few limping a little and smiled. Since the gloves came off ole' Sarge, Shera and Volosh have gotten a lot more hands on medical experience, he thought.

The fact was the Medical officers were kept very busy with the daily influx that Sarge sent through their Medical Bay doors. Nothing too serious, just breaks and strains from hitting unforgiving objects like the walls and floors. In fact, the trainees had changed the name of the training room to the Pit of Pain, because there was no escaping the Pit without being in some sort of pain. Commander Stone made sure of that.

Looking around the empty bridge, Buck smiled. Damn it's quiet in here, he thought.

Then maybe now you have time to come see your old man, came the thought from Father.

On my way Pop. Where are you at? That's a damn big ship down there, ya know? Buck thought back.

I'll have Fadish meet you in the landing bay. Now scoot boy, I've got something to ask you, ordered Father, smiling in Buck's mind.

Buck went down with Shera's group and was flabbergasted at how fast the massive elevator flew downward. He watched the rock strata change as they moved further and further down. He smiled as they passed a large vein of gold thinking about how the soft metal had meant so much to the people in the Old World.

At the bottom, the elevator gave a slight bump and settled on the steel floor. Shera's group took off with another Air Walker that came to meet them.

Buck looked around as he waited for his escort to appear. Looking at all the ships in the massive landing bay, he was extremely happy that Father was now in charge of this vessel.

"They are a little outdated compared to your Jonathon Stone I'm afraid," said a large Air Walker as he offered his hand to Buck. "I am Fadish, Captain Father's Number One. Welcome aboard the Dragnot Captain Buck."

Buck smiled and shook Fadish's huge hand. "Thank you Number One. This is quite a ship you have here," he said, still in awe of the mind-boggling size of the Dragnot.

Fadish smiled, "Well, with your help, soon she will rise up to where she belongs again. I look forward to that day with all my heart. Now, let's get you to the old man before he has my hide nailed to the wall."

It took ten minutes just to walk across the massive and very busy landing bay. Buck had taken notice of the crew's dedication to what ever their duties were. "Your people are well trained Commander Fadish. That's a sign of good leadership," Buck said.

Fadish smiled as he touched a panel on the door, "It's easy when you've been in the military for over a million years to want to slack off, but we've found ways to stay busy enough to keep most boredom away."

Buck still could not fathom that these Air Walkers were virtually immortal. To live so long, they must have seen so much change in the world around them.

Fadish led Buck down to a set of doors that swished open revealing a large round tube about 10 feet in diameter. Once both of them were in, Fadish announced "Deck 2, Captain's Quarters." And they were off like a bat out of hell. Buck's legs seemed to bend as the G-forces push his body down. He felt his stomach turn queasy as the tube suddenly shot sideways.

Déjà vu, just like the first time I road in the Jonathon Stone with Benny, he though, t as the tube came to an abrupt halt.

Fadish had been totally at ease with the G-forces shifting around so fast. Of course, he was 8 feet tall and weighed over 500 lbs, so his mass absorbed a lot more of the force than Buck's 190 lbs did.

The Number One looked over at Buck apologetically, "We could have taken the regular transport tube, but Captain Father insisted I bring you up on the courier tube. It's twice as fast as the other one."

Buck grimaced and held down his chow, "Oh so Father specifically asked you to bring me in this chow-chunker, did he?"

Fadish grinned slightly, "I think he wanted you a little off balance for what he is going to ask of you." Then raised his hand before Buck could say anything, "And no, I am not permitted to say anything about it to you either. He was very clear about that."

Buck followed Fadish down a hallway with doors on both sides every ten feet or so. There were words in an unfamiliar language beside each door. Must be living quarters, he thought to himself.

They finally arrived at the last set of doors on the right side. The doors were different in that they were gold instead of the normal gray like all the others. Sure enough the plaque read in English, Captain Father in bold letters.

Fadish pushed a button on the panel next to the door. "Enter!" came a voice from the other side of the door. The gold doors slid open and they stepped into a modest but large living space.

Father sat a table sipping on a cup smiling at the two. "Well how did you like your ride here my son?" he asked, setting the cup down.

"Oh, it was peachy. You need to put some barf bags in there though, or at least warn us humans not to get on with a full stomach," Buck growled back, but his face quickly broke into a smile.

Father motioned for the two men to sit as he took another sip from his cup. "Coffee Buck?" he asked.

"No thanks Pop, but I'll take some cold water if you have it," Buck replied.

Father pressed a button on his corner of the table and spoke in his traditional language. "Yes Captain," came back through a little speaker.