Читать книгу Adventures of Space Cadets 101: Space Pirates, Allies and Aliens - Darryl Dean Wright - Страница 11

Austen told the Commander that E.D. had caught up with them when they answered an S.O.S. from Professor Cross’ ship. A lady in the back overheard and ran to the front where the captains were and dropped to her knees in between Derek and her commander. She looked in Derek’s eyes and desperately asked, “Professor Cross is my father; he was supposed to visit over five weeks ago. Is he alright? Is he with you on your ship?” She was frantic for any answer! A portentous silence filled the room.

The captains looked at each other. Derek's glance told his brother that he would handle it. He looked into her puppy-eyes and without saying anything, she knew. She fell into her commander’s arms for support. “I am so sorry,” Derek told her and really meant it. He told her it was pirates too that had done her father’s ship in, and that they had taken care of them for what they did.

Austen said to her and the commander, “Since we left Earth, this is the second time we’ve run into pirates. When we encountered the Cross ship, it was sending out an S.O.S. Their radio was in working condition, but no one was alive to use it. The Cross had been shot up and had several hull breaches. They all died from exposure.” She couldn’t believe what he was saying,

“The S.O.S. was coming from an android on top of their ship. We assumed that the professor built it and programmed it to send an S.O.S. in the event of all hands lost. E.D. was there, they can verify everything I’ve told you. We initiated salvage rights and E.D. left after searching both ships. We thought the ship had been hit by micrometers. E.D. was already long gone when we pulled a bullet out of the android’s chest. The Cross had no weapons on their ship, so we knew someone else was out there. We hailed them and after they answered us, they jammed our radio. One of them said that he was a pirate and that they were going to do to us the same thing they did to the Cross. Our ship was faster so we got away. I’m so sorry.”

His words were like matches being struck to fuel, her tears like flames of despair. There was a moment of silence because there was nothing more to say. She was still crying when she wiped her face with the back of her hand, and, shaking, she asked, “What of his body?”

Without hesitation both captains said at the same time, “Cremation.” A couple of the cadets joined in also with the same statement.

Another eleven cadets were being pushed into the room at this time, and Derek kind of welcomed the distraction. Kim walked to Derek and touched his shoulder as she sat down next to him. Tim said to Austen, “This sucks!”

Austen said back to him, “Take it easy, Cadet. They don’t know it yet, but these guys are already dead if I know JR.”

The commander asked Austen, “What was that? Did you say you have a secret weapon?”

Austen smiled at the commander and replied, “Now Commander, you know civilian ships aren’t allowed to have weapons, but once all the innocents are in here, I have a gut-feeling we’ll get some help.”

“Your brother?” He asked.

Austen said to the Commander, “Better - it’s my nephew!” He was joking; he had already told him that JR wasn’t with them. Derek told Winston that his son was pretty smart and that he was probably deep in a plan right then. The commander noticed these civilians weren’t scared like his people were, and his people were military. He was feeling hope fill his thoughts.

Kirk was still on top of the ship just counting cadets. Nothing was coming to his mind concerning a plan. He checked his air for the umpteenth time. A bunch of pirates kept coming and going carrying as much as they could strip from the One-Oh-One and as fast as they could. Kirk felt badly for his father because he knew he loved his ship. Derek had never owned a spaceship before.

JR was intent on not getting locked up … Ever! He made a living at not getting caught. The only reason he didn’t have a price on his head back on Earth was because way too many people would have had to die! He was still on the “ten most wanted list.” He already had the making of a plan. He was in the last row so he would be the last to go. He was sizing the pirates up and knew he could take them. They grabbed another eleven cadets to take out of the ship.

When they arrived to be shoved into the makeshift prison, the commander asked the captains if that was all of their people, and Derek said, “Nope, not yet.” The Houstons were glad JR hadn’t been brought in yet. There was still hope.

Kirk figured that there were only two trips, or one big one, left before all the cadets would be off the ship. Once everybody was gone, he would take a little walk on top of the station if his air held out, and then maybe a plan might form, he hoped.

The bald guy and his shadow were walking back to the ship. Kirk was wondering how many pirates there were, and if the bases’ personnel were located in the same room as his people were being held, or if they were dead.

JR had counted so far sixteen pirates - the ones that came in the beginning and all of those that had been stripping his family’s ship. If it wasn’t for all of the guns, he would have taken care of things already, especially if he could get to his stuff hidden underneath that first seat up front in the far right. He found himself looking at the seat and stopped himself. He remembered that his brothers’ tobacco was also stashed there. He rolled his eyes wondering how anybody could smoke that … stuff. This was kind of funny considering what he had hidden there. He licked his lips and started perspiring. I dare them to take my stuff, he thought to himself.

The bald guy was back taking the next row to where the rest were being held. JR couldn’t make his move yet; there were too many armed pirates still. If only these cadets would help out - if only for a distraction. He did notice the same two pirates were escorting the cadets; he also saw one of the cadets looking his way. JR looked him in the eye and knew the cadet was thinking the same thing. Good! A little help would come in handy. JR couldn’t remember his name, but he was one of the cadets that had helped him get on the ship over three months ago. JR nodded his way before he reflected more on making his move.

When the next group was thrown into the cell, Derek stood up and pushed the intercom button to be heard. He defiantly said to who he thought was the leader of the pack, “Hey, Eagle man, (because he was bald) it’s getting crowded in here! Haven’t you ever heard of the Geneva Convention? I don’t think there’s enough air in here, and I have to use the bathroom. Whom do I have to kill for that privilege?” He was using hand gestures to entice the man into a fight.

Austen knew his brother was trying to goad him into the cell where he would get jumped and maybe they all could escape, but the pirate wasn’t falling for it. Still, he liked his brother’s style which was definitely different than his.

The pirate pushed his intercom button, smiled at Derek, (he had a lot of gold in his smile) and said, “Shut up, Lassie!” He gave Derek a hard stare daring him to open his mouth, and then he said, “I know for a fact that there’s not enough air in there! When Aye brings the last lot 'n put 'em in there, aye gives y’all maybe an hour!” Two of the pirates were laughing.

Derek waited till “Eagle-head” left then pushed the button to talk to the only pirate there. He said to him, “Hey Fruitcake, let me out of here and I’ll split my gold with you fifty-fifty.” The pirate just ignored him. Derek‘s lie didn’t work so he tried the truth, “My brother and I have ten kilos of tobacco hidden on our ship.”

That got his attention. The guard got out of his chair and went to the intercom. He looked in Derek’s eyes and was pretty sure this pathetic captain was telling the truth. He pushed the button and asked him, “Where?”

Derek said, “You have to let me out of here first; I guarantee you can’t find it without me!”

He pushed the button and said, “No, you tell me where, and I’ll petition for just you to live. That’s the best I can do. I ain’t the captain.” He waited on the response.

Derek countered, “Yeah, and I trust you, Fruitcake.” He turned around and asked Kim and Deana to join him quickly as he snapped his fingers for effect. He knew they would come up to him even without looking their way.

Deana knew what he was up to as she stood up. She unzipped her suit almost down to her belly button. Kim saw her and followed suit. She figured that her captain was desperate and was playing his last card, and she was glad to do her part.

As the two were coming forward, the pirate let Derek know that he’d tell Kieth when he came back that there was a smuggling hold on the ship. Austen was getting mad then, but he was glad Derek was doing something to escape. Derek knew he had messed up when he told the pirate about the tobacco. JR was going to kill him.

The girls came over to Derek, and he put his arm around Deana to his right as Kim walked around them and got on her knees to his left. She reached between his legs and wrapped her arm around his left thigh. Deana started kissing his neck and Kim started rubbing his upper leg. Derek didn’t plan on getting aroused; he thought that the girls knew what he was going to say to the pirate, but they were playing their part a little too well! Derek cleared his throat as Deana grabbed his right hand and put it on her left breast and then Kim … well she was doing something else entirely. He grabbed her hair for effect. “You sure you don’t want to come in here, Fruitcake?” Derek was enjoying this, but it was definitely bad-timing.

Except for Austen, everyone could not believe what they were seeing in front of them, and yet, they couldn’t turn away. The commander looked to Austen, but all Austen did was put a finger over his mouth letting Winston know not to say anything.

Meanwhile, the bald pirate had just told the last of the cadets to get up and move out of the One-Oh-One. Dale quickly moved to the front of the line to position himself by the smaller pirate. He knew JR would take out the other pirate. He felt ready for this.

Faith Jones, Tammy Anderson and Barbie James stood up and quickly went to join the ménage a trios at the front of the cell. Barbie hurried to get in front of Derek, off to his right, but not in Kim’s way. She started to French Captain Derek while taking his left hand off of Kim’s hair and slapping it on her butt. Terry got behind Derek and wrapped her arms around her captain. Faith went to Derek’s left and unzipped his suit so she could rub his chest. Her other hand grabbed Kim’s hair; she started kissing that side of his neck. Derek thought, This is the way to die, coming and going at the same time! Originally he was just going to put his arms around the first two ladies, but they were all improvising on their own. Their vigorous activity was making Derek hot! Deana was moaning low at first, but she started to get louder, and she was practically humping his leg.

The guard was getting flustered. Heck, everyone in the room was getting hot and bothered, including the women! The static free room’s temperature in fact had gone up by about ten degrees.

Austen kind of felt sorry for his brother. This was against Derek’s number one rule, no fraternization. He was wishing it was him up there with the lady cadets. All the men wished it was them smothered in the ladies!

Deana was a really good friend, but Austen knew his brother was going to be a bit uncomfortable around the other girls. They sure looked like they were enjoying themselves! Austen was getting very uncomfortable in the sitting position. The girls started feeling each other, not just Derek. Tammy and Faith started to kiss each other.

The guard started to the door control. …

Dale was going to jump the guard he was by just as soon as JR made his move. He was a space marine. He knew what he would have to do, and it was not a problem for him. He just hoped he’d be fast enough. ...

Kirk was ready to take that walk over the station then, but just before he started that first small step for mankind, that big bald pirate threw JR against the wall. …